Análisis Planes Nacionales de Empresa y DDHH

ASSESSMENTS'OF'EXISTING'
NATIONAL'ACTION'PLANS'(NAPS)'
ON'BUSINESS'AND'HUMAN'RIGHTS'
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INTERNATIONAL'CORPORATE'ACCOUNTABILITY'ROUNDTABLE'(ICAR)''
EUROPEAN'COALITION'FOR'CORPORATE'JUSTICE'(ECCJ)'
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Assessments'of'Existing''
National'Action'Plans'(NAPs)'on'Business'
and'Human'Rights'
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November'2014'
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International'Corporate'Accountability'Roundtable'(ICAR)'
European'Coalition'For'Corporate'Justice'(ECCJ)'
PROJECT'PARTNERS'
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The'International'Corporate'Accountability'Roundtable'(ICAR)'is'a'coalition'of'human'rights,'
environmental,'labor,'and'development'organizations'that'creates,'promotes,'and'defends'legal'
frameworks'to'ensure'corporations'respect'human'rights'in'their'global'operations.'
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The'European'Coalition'for'Corporate'Justice'(ECCJ)'promotes'corporate'accountability'by'
bringing'together'national'platforms'of'civil'society'organizations,'including'NGOs,'trade'
unions,'consumer'advocacy'groups,'and'academic'institutions'from'all'over'Europe.'
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS'
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Sara'Blackwell,'Legal'and'Policy'Associate,'ICAR;'Nicole'Vander'Meulen,'Legal'and'Policy'Intern,'
ICAR;'and'Yolaine'Delaygues,'Network'Development'and'Communication'Officer,'ECCJ'
coordinated'this'project.'
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ICAR'and'ECCJ'would'like'to'thank'the'following'individuals'and'organizations'for'providing'
valuable'inputs,'feedback,'and'expertise'throughout'the'development'of'this'report.'
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Marilyn'Croser,'Director,'Corporate'Responsibility'Coalition'(CORE)'
Peter'Frankental,'Economic'Relations'Programme'Director,'Amnesty'International'UK'
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Anne'Lindsay,'Lead'Analyst,'Private'Sector,'Catholic'Agency'for'Overseas'
Development'(CAFOD)'
Aino'Pennanen,'Policy'and'Advocacy'Officer,'The'Finnish'NGO'Platform'KEPA'
Suzan'van'der'Meij,'Senior'Coordinator,'MVO'Platform'
Maritte'van'Huijstee,'Senior'Researcher,'Centre'for'Research'on'Multinational'
Corporations'(SOMO)'
Sonja'Vartiala,'Executive'Director,'Finnwatch'
The'Danish'92'Group''
TABLE'OF'CONTENTS'
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I.'INTRODUCTION'...............................................................................................................................'1!
II.'CROSSÂSSESSMENT'OF'EXISTING'NAPS'.......................................................................................'3!
III.'ASSESSMENT'SUMMARIES'............................................................................................................'6!
A.'The'United'Kingdom'...................................................................................................................'6!
B.'The'Netherlands'.........................................................................................................................'9!
C.'Denmark'...................................................................................................................................'12!
D.'Finland'......................................................................................................................................'15!
ANNEX:'NATIONAL'ACTION'PLAN'(NAP)'ASSESSMENTS'.................................................................'18!
A.'The'United'Kingdom'.................................................................................................................'18!
B.'The'Netherlands'.......................................................................................................................'31!
C.'Denmark'...................................................................................................................................'46!
D.'Finland'......................................................................................................................................'62!
ENDNOTES'........................................................................................................................................'78!
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INTRODUCTION'
I.'INTRODUCTION'
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Background'
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The'UN'Human'Rights'Council'unanimously'adopted'the'UN'Guiding'Principles'on'Business'and'
Human'Rights'(UNGPs)'in'June'2011.1'The'Human'Rights'Council'subsequently'called'on'all'
Member'States'in'June'2014'to'develop'National'Action'Plans'(NAPs)'to'further'the'
implementation'of'the'UNGPs'within'their'respective'national'contexts.2'This'development'
followed'similar'requests'to'Member'States'made'by'the'European'Union'in'20113'and'20124'
and'by'the'Council'of'Europe'in'2014.5''
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Since'2011,'however,'only'four'States'have'developed'and'published'NAPs'on'business'and'
human'rights,'including'the'United'Kingdom'in'September'2013,6'the'Netherlands'in'December'
2013,7'Denmark'in'March'2014,8'and'Finland'in'September'2014.9'At'the'same'time,'however,'a'
number'of'other'governments'have'begun'the'process'of'developing'NAPs'on'business'and'
human'rights'or'have'publicly'announced'an'intention'to'do'so.10'As'such,'it'is'essential'that'the'
four'existing'NAPs'be'closely'analyzed'in'terms'of'their'content'and'processes'in'order'to'assess'
best'practice'and'to'suggest'areas'for'improvement'going'forward.'
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This'report'aims'to'support'the'development'and'further'review'of'NAPs'on'business'and'human'
rights'by'providing'structured'assessments'of'the'four'existing'NAPs.'The'intention'of'both'ICAR'
and'ECCJ'is'that'these'assessments'are'used'to'help'provide'critical'and'structured'feedback'to'
States'who'have'already'developed'NAPs'and'to'provide'a'reference'point'for'States'that'are'on'
the'path'to'developing'NAPs.'
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Methodology'
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The'following'assessments'of'existing'NAPs'on'business'and'human'rights'were'conducted'using'
the'NAPs'Checklist,'developed'by'ICAR'and'the'Danish'Institute'for'Human'Rights'(DIHR)'and'
published'in'Annex'5'of'the'joint'ICAR^DIHR'NAPs'report,'entitled'National(Action(Plans(on(
Business(and(Human(Rights:(A(Toolkit(for(the(Development,(Implementation,(and(Review(of(
State(Commitments(to(Business(and(Human(Rights(Frameworks.11'The'NAPs'Checklist'lays'out'a'
set'of'25'criteria'that'address'both'the'content'of'NAPs'and'the'process'for'developing'them.'A'
completed'NAPs'Checklist'for'each'of'the'countries'that'have'thus'far'released'NAPs'on'business'
and'human'rightsnamely,'the'United'Kingdom,'the'Netherlands,'Denmark,'and'Finlandcan'
be'found'in'the'Annex'to'this'report.'A'crossâssessment'of'all'four'NAPs'is'provided'in'Section'II,'
1!
INTRODUCTION'
and'assessment'summaries'for'each'NAP'are'outlined'in'Section'III.'The'order'in'which'the'
assessments'are'presented'reflect'the'order'in'which'the'four'NAPs'were'published.'
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In'analyzing'each'existing'NAPs'fulfillment'of'the'criteria'outlined'in'the'NAPs'Checklist,'ICAR'
and'ECCJ'conducted'extensive'desk^based'research,'as'well'as'direct'consultations'with'ECCJ'
member'organizations'involved'in'the'development'of'the'NAPs'in'the'United'Kingdom,'the'
Netherlands,'Denmark,'and'Finland.'Drawing'from'existing'research'and'the'experiences'of'
these'local'civil'society'groups,'the'ICARÊCCJ'assessments'of'existing'NAPs'are'intended'as'living'
documents,'subject'to'further'revision'and'review'as'the'NAPs'processes'continue'within'the'
countries'addressed'in'this'report'and'as'new'NAPs'on'business'and'human'rights'are'published'
by'additional'countries.
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CROSSÂSSESSMENT'
II.'CROSSÂSSESSMENT'OF'EXISTING'NAPS'
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Introduction'
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The'creation'of'NAPs'on'business'and'human'rights'by'the'United'Kingdom,'the'Netherlands,'
Denmark,'and,'most'recently,'Finland'is'a'step'toward'increased'accountability'for'government'
action'in'implementing'key'business'and'human'rights'frameworks,'including'the'UNGPs.'
Moreover,'as'the'NAPs'thus'far'have'all'come'from'European'countries,'the'trend'of'NAPs'
development'across'the'region'lends'a'unique'opportunity'for'developing'national'measures'in'a'
coordinated'and'coherent'manner,'particularly'throughout'the'European'Union,'where'Member'
States'may'be'encouraged'to'take'on'joint'actions'as'a'result'of'NAPs'processes.''
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As'a'means'of'consolidating'the'information'and'analysis'presented'throughout'this'report,'this'
section'provides'a'crossâssessment'on'general'trends'across'the'four'existing'NAPs'in'terms'of'
both'the'process'used'to'draft'these'NAPs'and'their'actual'content.'It'is'hoped'that'both'the'
positive'and'the'negative'trends'discussed'below'can'inform'the'drafting'of'other'States'NAPs.''
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Process'
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One'positive'trend'in'the'drafting'processes'of'the'NAPs'published'so'far'is'that'all'of'the'drafting'
processes'included'various'entities'within'the'government'in'some'way,'for'example,'through'
the'creation'of'inter^ministerial'working'groups.'Moreover,'in'each'case,'the'government'entity'
responsible'for'oversight'of'the'drafting'process'was'clearly'identified.'Another'positive'trend'is'
that'all'of'the'governments'that'have'published'a'NAP'so'far'conducted'some'form'of'
consultations'with'stakeholders.'However,'some'of'the'consultations'appear'to'have'been'more'
comprehensive'and'inclusive'than'others.'Additionally,'as'far'as'ICAR'and'ECCJ'are'aware,'the'
governments'that'have'released'NAPs'so'far'did'not'take'steps'to'facilitate'participation'in'these'
consultations'by'disempowered'or'at^risk'stakeholders'and,'with'the'exception'of'the'
Netherlands,'did'not'conduct'a'stakeholder'mapping.'Lack'of'transparency'regarding'the'drafting'
process'was'also'an'issue'across'all'of'the'NAPs.'Specifically,'no'government'published'
information'about'the'budget'that'it'had'set'aside'for'the'NAP'drafting'process,'and'there'was'
general'lack'of'public'information'about'the'terms'of'reference'and'timelines'for'the'drafting'
processes.'
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Possibly'the'most'significant'weakness'in'the'drafting'processes'of'all'four'existing'NAPs'was'the'
consistent'failure'to'conduct'national'baseline'assessments'(NBAs)'to'inform'the'content'of'the'
NAPs.'Although'some'countries,'such'as'the'Netherlands'and'Finland,'did'conduct'an'internal'
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3!
CROSSÂSSESSMENT'
mapping'and'a'background'memorandum,'respectively,'on'relevant'laws'and'policies,'none'of'
these'documents'rose'to'the'level'of'a'NBA.'This'is'a'key'failure'that'should'be'remedied'in'
future'NAPs'on'business'and'human'rights'as'NAPs'must'be'evidence^based'and'tailored'to'
address'existing'protection'gaps'in'a'States'laws,'policies,'and'precedents.'
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Finally,'there'were'mixed'results'across'the'assessments'regarding'the'inclusion'of'a'framework'
for'followûp'on'the'NAPs.'The'United'Kingdom'and'Finland'both'included'information'about'
how'the'implementation'of'the'NAP'would'be'monitored,'while'the'Netherlands'and'Denmark'
did'not'explain'what'type'of'monitoring'mechanism'would'be'in'place.'Only'the'Finnish'NAP'
identified'which'ministry'would'be'responsible'for'the'implementation'of'all'of'the'future'action'
points.'The'Dutch,'Danish,'and'U.K.'NAPs,'on'the'other'hand,'only'designated'the'part'of'the'
government'responsible'for'implementation'for'a'select'number'of'the'listed'future'action'
points,'but'not'for'all'of'them.''
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Content'
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Some'generally'positive'trends'in'the'content'of'the'NAPs'published'so'far'include'that'each'one'
explicitly'states'a'commitment'to'the'UNGPs,'discusses'international'and'regional'organizations'
and'standards,'and'includes'some'discussion'of'thematic'and'sector^specific'human'rights'issues.'
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The'most'significant'weaknesses'of'the'NAPs'thus'far,'in'terms'of'content,'is'that'they'all'do'not'
sufficiently'explore'regulatory'options'to'ensure'adequate'human'rights'protections'nor'the'
issue'of'access'to'remedy.'The'action'points'that'are'included'in'the'existing'NAPs'are'primarily'
focused'on'actions'that'involve'awareness'raising,'training,'research,'and'other'voluntary'
measures,'with'very'little'focus'on'supporting'the'development'of'regulatory'actions.'This'is'
problematic'as'regulatory'actions'are'more'likely'to'effectively'and'efficiently'address'existing'
governance'gaps.'Additionally,'the'NAPs'each'tend'to'focus'on'one'or'two'of'the'Pillars'of'the'
UNGPs,'leaving'one'or'more'of'the'Pillars'inadequately'addressed.'Specifically,'while'Pillar'III'has'
been'widely'recognized'as'an'essential'Pillar'of'the'UNGPs,12'it'is'either'addressed'only'very'
briefly'or'not'at'all'in'the'existing'NAPs.'In'addition,'with'the'exception'of'Finland,'there'is'little'
or'no'attention'given'to'the'circumstances'of'vulnerable'groups,'such'as'children'or'indigenous'
communities.''
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Finally,'the'broad'trend'of'the'NAPs'thus'far'has'been'to'focus'primarily'on'describing'past'
actions'the'government'has'taken,'instead'of'focusing'on'future'action'points.'With'the'
exception'of'Finland,'all'of'the'NAPs'have'a'very'limited'number'of'future'action'points.'
However,'even'the'future'action'points'that'are'included'across'the'existing'NAPs'are,'with'very'
few'exceptions,'overly'vague'and'do'not'provide'information'about'concrete'steps'that'the'
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4!
CROSSÂSSESSMENT'
respective'State'will'take.'This'makes'it'extremely'difficult'for'stakeholders,'including'agents'of'
the'respective'State'itself,'to'adequately'monitor'whether'the'government'has'implemented'the'
actions'it'has'committed'to'taking'within'the'NAP.''
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5!
THE'UNITED'KINDGDOM'
III.'ASSESSMENT'SUMMARIES'
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The'following'assessment'summaries'provide'an'overview'of'the'key'outcomes'and'observations'
gathered'through'the'full'assessments'of'the'existing'NAPs'on'business'and'human'rights,'
namely,'from'the'United'Kingdom,'the'Netherlands,'Denmark,'and'Finland.'It'is'hoped'that'other'
States'that'are'considering'beginning'the'process'of'creating'a'NAP'will'use'these'assessments'to'
inform'their'own'processes.'
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The'full'assessments,'touching'upon'all'25'criteria'outlined'in'the'ICAR^DIHR'NAPs'Checklist,'are'
provided'in'the'Annex'to'this'report.'The'following'assessment'summaries'are'provided'for'ease'
of'reference.'However,'readers'are'encouraged'to'cross^reference'these'summaries'with'the'full'
assessments,'where'further'detail'and'analysis'are'provided.'
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A.'The'United'Kingdom'''
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Introduction'
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The'United'Kingdom'(U.K.)'was'the'first'State'to'publish'a'NAP'specifically'focused'on'business'
and'human'rights'and'explicitly'on'implementation'of'the'UNGPs'in'particular.'The'United'
Kingdom'made'its'initial'commitment'to'create'a'NAP'in'201113'and'launched'the'document'in'
September'2013.14'Other'ongoing'U.K.'government'initiatives,'while'perhaps'not'explicitly'
framed'in'terms'of'business'and'human'rights,'also'reflect'U.K.'government'activity'in'this'
area.15'
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The'U.K.'should'be'commended'for'showing'leadership'in'embarking'on'the'process'of'
developing'a'NAP'and'for'being'the'first'state'to'publish'such'a'plan.'However,'this'willingness'to'
take'initiative'at'a'time'when'other'States'were'reluctant'to'move'forward'should'not'mask'
some'significant'oversights'in'the'drafting'and'consultation'process.'Nor'should'it'mask'the'
apparent'lack'of'momentum'in'taking'forward'some'elements'of'the'NAP'since'its'release.'
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In'terms'of'future'actions'on'the'part'of'the'U.K.'government,'the'NAP'offers'mostly'voluntary'
self^regulation,'is'somewhat'broad,'and'lacks'timelines'for'implementation.'Civil'servants'have'
acknowledged'that'further'work'is'needed'to'the'deliver'on'the'commitments'made'in'the'plan.''
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One'of'the'aims'of'this'assessment,'laid'out'in'general'terms'in'this'document'and'more'fully'in'
the'attached'checklist,'is'to'provide'a'constructive'contribution'to'the'process'of'creating'a'new'
and'updated'NAP,'which'the'United'Kingdom'has'committed'to'do'by'the'end'of'2015.16''
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6!
This'summary'provides'key'trends'in'terms'of'process'and'content,'as'identified'through'the'
assessment'of'the'U.K.'NAP.'
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Process'
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The'positive'aspects'of'the'NAP'drafting'process'include'the'facts'that'the'government'entity'
tasked'with'overseeing'the'process'was'clearly'identified'and'a'cross^departmental'steering'
committee'was'created'to'ensure'that'other'parts'of'the'government'would'have'a'voice'in'the'
process.'Moreover,'there'were'pre^drafting'consultations'with'a'wide'range'of'stakeholder'
groups'and'the'NAP'lays'out'a'framework'for'followûp'(i.e.'through'the'Annual'Report'on'
Human'Rights'and'Democracy)'and,'as'noted'above,'commits'the'United'Kingdom'to'updating'
the'NAP'by'the'end'of'2015.'
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The'first'weakness'in'the'NAP'drafting'process'was'that,'as'far'as'ICAR'and'ECCJ'are'aware,'the'
United'Kingdom'did'not'conduct'a'national'baseline'assessment'(NBA)17'prior'to'the'drafting'of'
the'NAP.'This'is'problematic'as'a'NBA'has'the'potential'to'provide'evidence'and'data'concerning'
the'States'unique'context,'current'progress'in'implementation,'and'remaining'governance'gaps,'
all'of'which'are'essential'in'informing'the'NAP'and'ensuring'its'efficacy'in'addressing'the'most'
pressing'business'and'human'rights'concerns'within'the'country.'
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There'were'helpful'pre^drafting'consultation'events'with'stakeholder'groups,'such'as'civil'society'
(including'trade'unions'and'NGOs)'and'different'types'of'businesses.'However,'the'consultation'
process'could'have'been'improved'to'better'ensure'that'the'other'relevant'stakeholders,'
including'impacted'communities'and'rights^holders,'were'heard.'Specifically,'the'government'
should'have'conducted'and'published'a'stakeholder'mapping'to'ensure'that'all'stakeholders,'
even'those'that'are'less'obvious,'were'given'a'chance'to'voice'their'opinion.'Similarly,'the'
government'failed'to'provide'any'form'of'capacity^building'in'terms'of'government^wide'
education'on'the'UNGPs'and'failed'to'facilitate'participation'in'the'consultation'process'by'
disempowered'or'at^risk'stakeholders.'This'means'that'some'voices'that'would'otherwise'have'
been'heard'may'have'been'excluded'from'the'dialogue.'Moreover,'once'the'pre^drafting'
consultation'was'complete,'no'draft'document'was'published.'The'government'did'send'a'copy'
of'the'draft'to'selected'stakeholders.'However,'an'additional'followûp'consultation'with'a'broad'
range'of'external'stakeholders'on'the'draft'NAP'was'not'conducted.'In'conjunction'with'the'
delays'to'the'process,'this'meant'that'there'was'a'lack'of'transparency'around'the'governments'
prioritization'or'de^prioritization'of'certain'issues'or'concerns'following'the'consultations.'
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7!
Content'
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A'strength'of'the'content'of'the'U.K.'NAP'is'that'it'includes'references'to'how'the'NAP'will'
influence'the'United'Kingdoms'interaction'with'international'and'regional'organizations'and'
standards.'The'NAP'also'addresses'a'few'thematic'and'sector^specific'human'rights'issues,'such'
as'commitments'in'relation'to'procurement'and'investment'agreements,'as'well'as'instructions'
to'embassies'and'high'commissions'to'support'human'rights'defenders'working'on'issues'
related'to'business'and'human'rights'in'line'with'the'EU'guidelines.'
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However,'the'content'of'the'U.K.'NAP'could'be'significantly'improved.'Although'the'NAP'is'
organized'around'all'three'Pillars'of'the'UNGPs,'it'is'heavily'focused'on'Pillar'II,'with'less'
attention'given'to'Pillar'I'and'with'a'minimalist'approach'to'Pillar'III.'The'future'actions'set'out'in'
the'NAP,'which'primarily'focus'on'voluntary'measures,'do'little'to'set'out'binding'measures'that'
broaden'and'deepen'the'governments'legal'duty'to'protect'human'rights'and'guarantee'access'
to'judicial'remedy'for'business^related'human'rights'violations.'The'fact'that'the'commitments'
made'by'the'U.K.'government'in'the'NAP'are'vague'and'lack'timelines'for'implementation,'and'
that'the'NAP'rarely'identifies'what'part'of'the'government'will'be'in'charge'of'implementing'
each'planned'action,'is'indicative'of'a'lack'of'planning'and'coordination.'This'also'weakens'the'
ability'of'any'party'to'assess'to'what'extent'the'United'Kingdom'has'fulfilled'the'steps'it'has'
committed'to'within'the'document.'Finally,'the'NAP'does'not'prioritize'the'most'serious'
business^related'human'rights'abuses.'The'plan'does'mention'marginalized'and'at^risk'groups,'
but'it'lacks'an'adequate'strategy'to'address'these'vulnerable'populations.'
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THE'NETHERLANDS'
B.'The'Netherlands'
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Introduction'
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The'Netherlands'was'the'second'country'to'publish'a'NAP'on'business'and'human'rights.'The'
Dutch'House'of'Representatives'requested'that'this'NAP'be'developed,'and'the'final'product'
was'published'in'December'2013.18'Notably,'extensive'stakeholder'interviews'were'conducted'
prior'to'drafting'the'Dutch'NAP.'However,'while'the'content'of'the'NAP'responds'to'concerns'
raised'during'the'stakeholder'interviews,'it'is'primarily'a'backward^looking'document'with'little'
attention'given'to'commitments'to'future'action.'The'few'commitments'for'future'action'that'
are'included'in'the'NAP'could'also'be'improved,'as'they'are'mostly'vague'and'mainly'focused'on'
awareness'raising,'funding,'riskâssessment,'and'training'instead'of'regulatory'action'and'
concrete'measures'for'improving'access'to'remedy.'
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attached'assessment'of'the'Dutch'NAP.'
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Process'
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The'positive'aspects'of'the'NAP'drafting'process'include'the'facts'that'the'government'entity'
tasked'with'overseeing'the'process'was'clearly'identified'and'various'entities'of'the'government'
were'included'in'the'process'through'an'inter^ministerial'working'group.'Moreover,'there'were'
extensive'pre^drafting'interviews'with'stakeholders'(i.e.'business,'civil'society,'and'
implementing'organizations),'as'well'as'one'round'of'single'stakeholder'consultations'during'
the'drafting'process.''
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One'weakness'of'the'Dutch'NAP'drafting'process'is'that'no'national'baseline'assessment'(NBA)'
was'conducted'and/or'published.'Although'there'was'an'internal'mapping'of'government'
policies'carried'out'by'the'inter^ministerial'working'group,'it'did'not'rise'to'the'level'of'a'NBA'
and'was'not'made'publicly'available.19'The'interviews'appear'to'have'highlighted'main'issues'of'
concern'for'the'various'stakeholders.'However,'an'NBA'is'required'to'fully'see'the'States'unique'
context,'progress'in'implementation,'and'governance'gaps'that'could'be'filled'to'better'protect'
human'rights'in'relation'to'business'activities.'''
'
The'stakeholder'interviews'prior'to'the'NAP'drafting'process'were'relatively'extensive,'involving'
interviews'conducted'by'an'external'expert'and'then'followûp'meetings'with'the'three'
stakeholder'groups'(i.e.'business,'civil'society,'and'implementing'organizations)'separately.'
However,'only'a'total'of'50'external'stakeholders'were'interviewed,'no'public'consultations'took'
!
9!
THE'NETHERLANDS'
place,'no'capacity^building'measures'were'included'in'the'interview'process,'and'an'overall'
timeline'and'terms'of'reference'for'the'entire'NAP'process'were'never'made'publicly'available.'
In'addition,'participation'by'disempowered'or'at^risk'stakeholders'was'neither'prioritized'nor'
facilitated'during'the'NAP'process.'
'
Finally,'the'NAP'does'not'specify'any'followûp'procedures'for'implementation'of'the'
commitments'made'within'the'NAP,'and'it'does'not'provide'any'timeline'for're^writing'or'
updating'the'NAP.'This'is'problematic'because'most'of'the'action'points'were'meant'to'occur'in'
2014,'so'the'lack'of'commitment'to'revisiting'the'NAP'could'mean'that'nothing'occurs'after'the'
end'of'2014.'It'also'means'that'it'is'unclear'whether'there'will'be'any'assessment'of'how'
effectively'the'listed'action'points'have'been'put'in'place'in'the'future,'if'at'all.'''
'
Content'
'
It'is'positive'that'the'NAP'recognizes'that'businesses'need'to'respect'human'rights'both'abroad'
and'domestically,'that'it'includes'an'explicit'commitment'to'the'UNGPs,'and'that'it'integrates'a'
careful'review'of'the'CSR'activities'and'intentions'of'the'government.'The'NAP'also'discusses'
several'thematic'issues'and'how'the'Netherlands'interacts'with'international'and'regional'
organizations'and'standards.'For'instance,'it'aims'to'improve'policy'coherence'by'integrating'
human'rights'and'business'concerns'in'trade'and'investment'agreements,'including'at'the'EU'
level.20'Another'positive'government'initiative'is'the'Sector'Risk'Analysis,'which'was'announced'
earlier'in'the'Dutch'CSR'policy'letter'but'referenced'in'the'NAP.'The'Sector'Risk'Analysis'entails'
conducting'a'study'to'define'the'sectors'that'run'the'greatest'risk'of'human'rights'abuses.'As'a'
followûp,'the'government'plans'to'reach'agreements'to'address'these'risks'with'business'
enterprises'that'operate'in'these'sectors.'This'approach'is'both'promising'and'innovative.'Its'
success,'however,'depends'on'the'quality'of'the'study,'the'degree'to'which'the'agreements'are'
binding,'the'manner'in'which'they'will'be'monitored,'and'whether'a'failure'to'respect'them'will'
entail'consequences.'
'
The'Dutch'NAPs'content'is'mostly'focused'on'current'policy'measures'related'to'business'and'
human'rights,'the'issues'raised'during'the'stakeholder'interview'process,'and'the'governments'
response'to'those'issues.'The'section'that'is'dedicated'to'forward^looking'action'points'is'very'
short,'however,'at'only'two'pages'out'of'the'44^page'document.'The'action'points'listed'are'also'
unsatisfactory'as'the'emphasis'is'on'awareness^raising,'training,'risk'assessment,'and'funding.'
While'these'initiatives'are'certainly'important,'there'should'be'action'points'that'are'also'more'
regulatory'in'nature.21'The'Dutch'NAP'is'also'focused'mostly'on'Pillar'II,'with'much'less'attention'
given'to'Pillars'I'and'III,'which'is'problematic'as'the'full'scope'of'the'UNGPs'should'be'addressed.'
10!
THE'NETHERLANDS'
The'NAP'also'does'not'prioritize'the'most'serious'business^related'human'rights'abuses,'and'it'
does'not'mention'marginalized'or'at^risk'groups.'
'
Moreover,'many'of'the'action'points'are'overly'vague'and'do'not'identify'a'clear'timeline'for'
implementation'or'a'responsible'government'entity.'For'example,'although'the'NAP'states'that'
credibility'is'an'important'element'of'the'Dutch'human'rights'policy,22'there'is'no'concrete'
commitment'to'change'policies'or'legislation'if'implementation'and'enforcement'with'the'
governments'human'rights'policy'is'not'actually'achieved.'Furthermore,'although'the'NAP'
states'that'CSR'is'an'integral'part'of'trade'missions'and'expects'companies'represented'in'trade'
mission'to'look'into'the'possible'adverse'effects'of'their'operations'on'communities,23'the'
government'only'expresses'an'expectation'towards'companies'or'trade'missions'and'embassies,'
not'a'clear'path'toward'doing'so.'
'
11!
DENMARK'
C.'Denmark'
'
Introduction'
'
Denmark'published'its'NAP'on'business'and'human'rights'in'March'2014.'The'Danish'NAP'is'
organized'around'the'three'Pillars'of'the'UNGPs.'Within'each'Pillar,'there'is'a'general'summary'
of'the'UNGPs'contained'in'that'Pillar,'a'discussion'of'the'recommendations'provided'by'the'
Danish'Council'for'CSR,'and'a'description'of'actions'that'have'already'been'taken'to'implement'
principles'under'that'Pillar.'Pillar'I'also'includes'a'short'list'of'actions'that'the'Danish'government'
commits'to'take'in'the'future.'Additionally,'the'two'annexes'go'through'each'UNGP'under'Pillars'
I'and'III'and'explain'which'past,'current,'and'(occasionally)'future'actions'have'contributed'or'
will'contribute'to'that'UNGPs'implementation.'The'Ministry'of'Business'and'Growth'and'the'
Ministry'of'Foreign'Affairs,'which'were'responsible'for'the'NAP'drafting'process,'conducted'
consultations.'However,'the'government'could'have'improved'the'consultation'process'by'
including'more'stakeholders'and'extending'the'time'allotted'for'this'aspect'of'the'NAP'process.'
Other'procedural'deficiencies'include'the'failure'to'conduct'a'national'baseline'assessment'
(NBA)'and'the'lack'of'terms'of'reference'and'a'timeline'for'the'overall'NAP'process.''
'
Denmark'has'undergone'a'number'of'initiatives'to'promote'business'respect'for'human'rights.'
One'such'initiative'has'been'to'extend'the'CSR'reporting'requirement'for'large'Danish'
companies'to'include'policies'to'respect'human'rights'and'policies'to'reduce'negative'impacts'
on'the'climate.'Another'initiative'has'been'to'establish'a'Mediation'and'Complaints^handling'
Institution'for'Responsible'Business'Conduct,'which'was'established'by'law'in'2012.'These'are'
positive'developments.'However,'the'content'of'the'NAP'could'still'be'significantly'improved'by'
including'more'future'commitments'to'build'on'what'has'already'been'done'pursuant'to'
Denmarks'earlier'NAP'on'corporate'social'responsibility'(CSR).'This'is'especially'true'in'regard'to'
binding'measures'under'Pillars'I'and'III'that'would'more'effectively'engage'the'governments'
legal'duty'to'protect'human'rights'and'guarantee'access'to'judicial'remedy.''
'
assessment'of'the'Danish'NAP.''
'
Process'
'
The'positive'aspects'of'the'NAP'drafting'process'include'the'fact'that'recommendations'
provided'by'the'Danish'Council'for'CSR24'were'solicited'and'included'in'the'NAP.'In'addition,'the'
Ministry'of'Business'and'Growth'and'the'Ministry'of'Foreign'Affairs,'which'were'responsible'for'
the'NAP'process,'consulted'with'the'Ministry'of'Justice,'the'Ministry'of'Employment,'the'
!
12!
DENMARK'
Ministry'of'Education,'the'Danish'Export'Credit'Fund,'and'the'Investment'Fund'for'Developing'
Countries'(IFU).'
'
However,'the'process'for'stakeholder'consultations'was'not'clearly'communicated.'
Furthermore,'only'a'select'group'of'members'of'the'Danish'Council'for'CSR'were'consulted'
about'the'draft'NAP,'very'limited'time'was'given'to'provide'input'to'the'draft'NAP,'and'other'
important'stakeholders,'such'as'the'Danish'Consumer'Council,'were'left'out'of'the'consultation'
process'entirely.'Disempowered'or'at^risk'stakeholders'were'also'not'consulted'in'the'process.'
'
Another'weakness'in'the'process'employed'to'draft'the'Danish'NAP'is'that'no'national'baseline'
assessment'(NBA)'was'conducted'and/or'published.'Although'there'are'descriptions'in'the'NAP'
on'how'laws'and'policies'that'already'exist'implement'the'UNGPs,'by'failing'to'conduct'an'NBA,'
Denmark'missed'the'opportunity'to'see'the'States'unique'context'and'governance'gaps'that'
should'be'addressed'in'order'to'increase'the'protection'for'human'rights.'The'government'also'
failed'to'publish'terms'of'reference'and'a'timeline'for'the'overall'NAP'process.'
'
The'NAP'also'does'not'detail'what'followûp'measures'will'be'put'in'place'to'ensure'that'
commitments'made'in'the'NAP'are'implemented'effectively.'Although'there'is'a'reference'to'the'
fact'that'Denmarks'earlier'CSR'NAP'will'be'continually'updated,25'it'does'not'specify'how'or'
when'that'will'happen,'nor'does'it'specify'if'the'same'will'be'done'for'the'NAP'on'business'and'
human'rights.''
'
Content'
'
One'positive'aspect'in'terms'of'the'content'of'the'Danish'NAP'is'that'it'provides'a'principle^by^
principle'approach'in'Annexes'1'and'2,'laying'out'which'past,'current,'and,'in'the'case'of'Pillars'I'
and'III,'a'few'future'steps'that'are'relevant'to'the'implementation'of'the'UNGP'in'question.'
Another'positive'aspect'is'that'a'few'of'the'planned'actions'are'specific,'including'the'planned'
action'to'create'an'inter^ministerial'working'group'to'research'whether'legislation'in'relevant'
areas'should'and'could'feasibly'include'extraterritorial'obligations.'This'action'includes'questions'
the'group'will'be'tasked'with'addressing'and'suggests'that'Denmark'is'interested'in'exploring'
ways'to'ensure'that'its'businesses'respect'human'rights'abroad,'as'well'as'within'Denmark.'The'
commitment'to'require'labor'clauses'in'all'government'contracts'for'construction'projects'
instead'of'just'for'those'above'DKK'37.5'million'is'also'very'specific.'Having'said'that,'the'
remaining'planned'actions'are'quite'vague,'and'none'of'them'specify'timelines.''
'
One'negative'aspect'of'the'Danish'NAP'is'that'it'does'not'remedy'the'fact'that'Denmarks'
implementation'of'the'UNGPs'has'so'far'been'focused'on'guidance'and'self^regulation'under'
!
13!
DENMARK'
Pillar'II'and'access'to'non^judicial'remedy'under'Pillar'III,'failing'to'provide'adequate'regulatory'
measures'under'Pillars'I'and'concrete'measures'to'provide'access'to'judicial'remedy'under'Pillar'
III.26'In'this'regard,'while'the'inter^ministerial'working'group'on'extraterritorial'legislation'
focuses'on'access'to'judicial'remedy,'it'is'unclear'whether'this'working'group'will'address'the'
issue'of'mandatory'human'rights'due'diligence'in'areas'of'particular'risk'and'importance.''
'
Another'shortcoming'of'the'Danish'NAP'is'that'it'only'lists'a'very'limited'number'of'future'
actions.'The'NAP'points'to'policies'put'in'place'in'the'past'or'currently'being'implemented'and'
refers'to'commitments'made'under'the'CSR'NAP,'instead'of'developing'new'commitments'
specific'to'business'and'human'rights.'As'such,'the'NAP'reads'more'like'a'backward^looking'
document'than'a'comprehensive'plan'for'the'future.'For'example,'in'addition'to'laying'out'the'
courses'and'guidance'on'responsible'business'conduct'that'the'government'provides'through'
the'Ministry'of'Finance,'the'Trade'Council,'and'Danish'embassies,'it'is'not'clear'within'the'NAP'
whether'there'will'be'additional'funding'to'these'programs'or'if'the'government'will'conduct'an'
evaluation'of'their'implementation'with'a'promise'to'improve'them'where'needed.'Another'
weakness'in'the'content'of'the'NAP'is'that'there'is'no'discussion'of'how'the'government'will'
seek'to'protect'vulnerable'or'excluded'groups.'
14!
FINLAND'
D.'Finland'
'
Introduction'
'
Finland'announced'its'decision'to'create'a'NAP'on'business'and'human'rights'in'its'Resolution'on'
Corporate'Social'Responsibility'on'November'22,'2012.27'The'Finnish'government'created'a'
working'group'to'draft'the'NAP,'and'the'NAP'was'adopted'on'September'17,'2014.28'The'NAP'
drafting'process'included'many'different'government'ministries'and'included'two'public'
consultations'with'stakeholders,'as'well'as'the'possibility'to'comment'in'writing.'However,'while'
the'NAP'includes'a'large'number'of'action'points'and'information'about'steps'that'Finland'is'
already'taking,'the'action'points'primarily'focus'on'voluntary'measures,'dialogue,'training,'and'
research,'instead'of'on'mandatory'measures.'Additionally,'several'of'the'action'points'are'overly'
broad'and'vague.''
'
attached'assessment'of'the'Finnish'NAP.'
'
Process'
'
Finlands'NAP'drafting'process'had'several'positive'aspects,'including'the'facts'that'the'
government'entity'tasked'with'overseeing'the'process'was'clearly'identified'and'representatives'
from'many'different'government'ministries'were'members'of'the'working'group'in'charge'of'
drafting'the'NAP.'Moreover,'there'were'two'public'hearings'with'stakeholders,'the'working'
group'consulted'with'stakeholders'in'writing,'and'the'consultation'dates'were'published.'In'
addition,'the'process'for'drafting'the'NAP'was'discussed'in'the'Committee'for'Corporate'Social'
Responsibility'(YHVA),'which'is'a'multi^stakeholder'body'acting'under'the'Ministry'of'
Employment'and'the'Economy'and'gathering'business,'trade'unions,'decision^makers,'and'
NGOs.'Lastly,'the'ministries'responsible'for'implementing'and'following'up'on'each'action'point'
are'identified,'and'the'responsibility'for'yearly'monitoring'of'the'implementation'of'the'NAP'as'a'
whole'is'placed'in'the'hands'of'the'Committee'for'Corporate'Social'Responsibility.'
'
One'weakness'of'the'Finland'NAP'drafting'process'was'that'no'national'baseline'assessment'
(NBA)'was'conducted'and/or'published.'Instead,'a'background'memorandum'was'carried'out'by'
government'ministries'and'published.'This'memorandum'included'information'on'Finnish'
legislation,'provisions'on'fundamental'rights'and'international'conventions,'and'other'measures'
and'practices'of'the'authorities'in'relation'to'the'UN'principles.'29'It'was'created'for'use'by'the'
working'group'and'was'intended'to'inform'its'proposals.'However,'this'memorandum'did'not'
rise'to'the'level'of'a'NBA'because'it'did'not'focus'on'the'key'questions'of'the'UNGPs,'and'non^
!
15!
FINLAND'
State'stakeholders'did'not'find'it'very'useful'and'were'not'involved'in'its'development.'This'is'
problematic'because'a'thorough'NBA'is'necessary'to'ensure'that'the'government'identifies'the'
most'pressing'legislative'gaps'in'the'protection'of'human'rights.''
'
Another'procedural'flaw'is'that,'as'far'as'ICAR'and'ECCJ'are'aware,'the'Finnish'government'did'
not'take'special'steps'to'facilitate'the'participation'of'disempowered'stakeholders'such'as'
migrants,'Indigenous'peoples'in'northern'Finland,'or'other'minorities.'Finally,'although'the'dates'
of'the'consultations'were'published'and'the'NAP'process'was'discussed'in'the'Committee'for'
Corporate'Social'Responsibility,'the'overall'process'was'unclear.'After'the'working'group'in'
charge'of'drafting'the'NAP'had'published'its'proposal,'the'Finnish'government'did'not'provide'
information'about'the'status'of'the'draft'nor'about'the'political'process'through'which'the'NAP'
would'be'approved.'Therefore,'it'was'unclear'which'process'the'second'round'of'consultations'
was'supposed'to'influence.'Publishing'or'sharing'this'information'would'have'further'increased'
the'transparency'of'the'NAP'process'and'ensured'meaningful'participation'of'civil'society.'In'the'
end,'the'government'approved'the'NAP'based'on'the'working'group's'proposal'and'a'separate'
political'statement30'in'an'informal'meeting'of'the'ministers.'In'its'statement,'the'government'
underlined'its'priorities'for'the'NAPs'implementation,'concretized'some'of'the'commitments,'
and'partly'improved'the'ambition'level'compared'to'the'working'group's'original'proposal.'
'
Content'
'
The'Finnish'NAP'addresses'thematic'issues'such'as'childrens'rights,'communication'technology,'
and'extractive'activities.'The'NAP'also'extensively'discusses'international'and'regional'
organizations'and'standards'and'how'Finland'plans'to'use'these'to'push'for'the'implementation'
of'the'UNGPs.'The'NAP'also'discusses'various'vulnerable'groups,'and'there'are'action'points'
specifically'dedicated'to'them.'Another'positive'aspect'of'the'NAPs'content'is'that'each'list'of'
action'points'is'assigned'to'a'particular'ministry'or'ministries,'and'the'NAP'indicates'a'year'by'
which'the'action'points'should'be'completed'for'just'over'half'of'the'action'points.'This'
specificity'is'positive'because'it'allows'stakeholders,'including'agents'of'the'Finnish'government,'
and'civil'society'to'hold'a'particular'ministry'accountable'if'an'action'point'is'not'completed'by'
the'year'indicated'in'the'NAP.''
'
In'addition'to'identifying'the'responsible'government'entity'and'a'deadline'for'completion,'
however,'individual'future'action'points'in'a'NAP'should'also'state'what'the'government'is'going'
to'do'in'concrete'term,'instead'of'being'overly'broad'or'vague.'In'this'respect,'the'Finnish'NAP'is'
somewhat'mixed.'For'example,'there'is'a'future'action'point'that'commits'to'adding'a'field'to'
the'public'procurement'notification'service'(HILMA)'regarding'whether'social'aspects'were'
considered'in'the'procurement'decision'in'order'to'increase'the'amount'of'data'available'on'this'
!
16!
FINLAND'
matter.'Instead'of'just'saying'that'the'government'will'improve'the'availability'of'data,'this'
future'action'point'shows'specifically'how'the'government'will'do'this.'Other'future'action'
points,'however,'are'overly'broad'or'vague.'For'example,'one'of'the'future'action'points'says'
that'Finland'shall'participate'in'the'UN'Business'and'Human'Rights'Forums'and'support'the'
work'of'the'working'group'related'to'the'UN'principles.31'This'future'action'point'does'not'
clearly'lay'out'information'on'what'type'of'support'(e.g.'financial'or'technical)'Finland'will'
provide.'Another'flaw'in'the'content'of'the'Finnish'NAP'is'that'there'is'very'little'attention'paid'
to'Pillar'III,'with'the'focus'of'the'NAP'on'Pillars'I'and'II.'Finally,'apart'from'committing'to'prepare'
to'implement'the'European'Commissions'directive'on'non^financial'reporting,'there'is'a'lack'of'
mandatory'or'regulatory'measures,'and'the'NAP'instead'focuses'on'voluntary'measures,'
including'dialogue,'training,'and'research.''
'
The'Finnish'CSOs'found'it'positive'that,'within'the'action'items'outlined'in'the'NAP,'the'
government'committed'to'commissioning'a'thorough'legislative'survey'focusing'on'the'UNGPs'
three'Pillars'and'current'legislative'gaps,'as'the'survey'aims'to'provide'concrete'proposals'for'
the'way'forward.'In'addition,'the'government'committed'in'the'NAP'to'looking'into'improving'
social'responsibility'criteria,'in'line'with'the'EU'Public'Procurement'Directive,'when'amending'
the'Public'Procurement'Act.'Moreover,'according'to'the'NAP,'the'majority'of'Stateôwned'
companies'will'start'to'assess'their'human'right'risks'throughout'their'production'chain'and'
report'on'this.'Furthermore,'a'separate'complaint'mechanism'will'be'established'in'order'to'
report'alleged'human'rights'violations'of'Stateôwned'companies.'
!
17!
THE!UNITED!KINGDOM!
ANNEX:!NATIONAL!ACTION!PLAN!(NAP)!ASSESSMENTS!
!
The!following!assessments!of!the!currently!existing!NAPs!on!business!and!human!rights,!namely,!from!the!United!Kingdom,!the!
Netherlands,!Denmark,!and!Finland,!were!conducted!using!the!NAPs!Checklist,!developed!by!ICAR!and!the!Danish!Institute!for!Human!
Rights!(DIHR)!and!published!in!Annex!5!of!the!joint!ICARRDIHR!NAPs!report,!entitled!National(Action(Plans(on(Business(and(Human(
Rights:(A(Toolkit(for(the(Development,(Implementation,(and(Review(of(State(Commitments(to(Business(and(Human(Rights(
Frameworks.32!
!
A.!The!United!Kingdom!!
!
1.!GOVERNANCE!AND!RESOURCES!
COMMENTS!
Leadership!and!Ownership!of!NAP!Process!
1.1.
Com m itm ent!to!the!NAP!process.!
The!UK!government!announced!its!intention!to!create!a!NAP!in!2011.33!The!UK!has!
committed!to!continuing!the!development!and!implementation!of!its!NAP,!noting!that!
the!NAP!released!in!2013!is!just!the!first!step.34!In!the!NAP,!the!UK!expressly!commits!
to!monitoring!NAPs!created!by!other!countries!and!to!responding!to!the!development!
of!NAP!best!practices!in!its!future!policies.35!The!UK!plans!to!have!representatives!of!
civil!society,!government,!and!business!meet!periodically!to!monitor!implementation!
of!the!UK!NAP!and!to!update!it.36!The!Annual!Report!on!Human!Rights!and!Democracy!
of!the!Foreign!and!Commonwealth!Office!(FCO)!will!include!a!report!on!progress!of!the!
NAP.37!The!UK!made!an!express!commitment!in!the!NAP!to!create!a!new!and!updated!
NAP!by!the!end!of!2015.38!These!commitments!suggest!that!the!UK!is!serious!about!
continuing!to!engage!with!its!NAP!over!the!longRterm.!!
!
The!fact!that!the!UK!NAP!was!launched!by!two!Secretaries!of!State!!the!Secretary!of!
Foreign!Affairs!and!the!Secretary!of!Business,!Innovation,!and!Skills!!also!sent!out!a!
strong!signal!of!the!governments!commitment!to!the!NAP!process.!
18!
THE!UNITED!KINGDOM!
1.!GOVERNANCE!AND!RESOURCES!
1.2.
Ensure!responsibility!for!the!NAP!
process!is!clearly!established!and!
com municated.!
1.3.
Ensure!an!inclusive!approach!across!all!
areas!of!government.!!
1.4.
Devise!and!publish!term s!of!reference!
and!a!timeline!for!the!NAP!process.!!
COMMENTS!
The!responsibility!for!the!NAP!process!was!placed!in!the!UK!Foreign!&!Commonwealth!
Office!(FCO),!specifically,!under!its!Human!Rights!and!Democracy!Department.39!A!
steering!committee!composed!of!different!government!ministries!was!created!to!guide!
the!process.40!
As!noted!above,!a!steering!committee!composed!of!different!government!ministries!
was!created!to!help!coordinate!the!NAP!process.41!
!
Additionally,!after!the!initial!draft!was!complete,!it!was!sent!to!government!agencies!
for!consultation.42!In!December!2012,!a!draft!was!sent!to!about!40!government!
agencies,!whose!comments!and!feedback!were!taken!into!account!and!incorporated!
into!the!finalized!NAP.43!
Publication!of!the!NAP!was!delayed!repeatedly,!and!human!rights!NGOs!say!this!was!
done!without!full!communication.!As!the!NAP!process!continued,!it!became!harder!for!
NGO!stakeholders!to!get!information!about!what!was!happening.44!!
!
No!timeline!was!published.!
Adequate!Resourcing!
1.5.
Determ ine!an!appropriate!budget!for!
the!NAP!process.!!
There!is!no!information!publicly!available!on!the!level!of!funding!provided!for!the!NAP!
process.!
!
Regarding!human!capital,!the!Deputy!Head!of!the!Human!Rights!and!Democracy!
Department!of!the!FCO!was!in!charge!of!leading!the!drafting!process.!Two!policy!
officers!assisted!the!Deputy!Head,!in!addition!to!inputs!and!assistance!from!officials!
from!a!number!of!other!departments!on!an!ad!hoc!basis.!
!
!
!
19!
THE!UNITED!KINGDOM!
2.! STAKEHOLDER!Participation !
COMMENTS!
Effective!Participation!by!All!Relevant!Stakeholders!
2.1.
Conduct!and!publish!a!stakeholder!
mapping.!
No!stakeholder!mapping!was!conducted.!
2.2.
Develop!and!publish!a!clear!plan!and!
timeline!for!stakeholder!participation.!!
PreRdraft!consultation!with!stakeholders!had!a!clear!plan.!Meetings!were!set!up!and!
run!by!the!FCO,!using!an!external!facilitator.!The!meetings!occurred!in!early!2012,!and!
each!category!of!stakeholders!had!its!own!separate!meeting.45!A!final!meeting!was!
then!held,!with!all!categories!of!stakeholders!in!attendance.46!!
!
However,!there!was!considerable!delay!between!these!meetings!and!the!launch!of!the!
plan.!Although!the!government!did!send!a!copy!of!the!draft!to!selected!stakeholders,!
the!draft!NAP!was!not!publicly!circulated!before!it!was!finalized!and!launched,!so!there!
was!no!broad!consultation!with!external!stakeholders!on!the!draft!document.47!
!
The!timeline/plan!for!stakeholder!participation!was!not!published.!
2.3.
Provide!adequate!information!and!
capacityRbuilding!where!needed.!
No!capacityRbuilding!was!provided.!
2.4.
Facilitate!participation!by!
disem powered!or!atRrisk!stakeholders.!!
The!UK!did!not!facilitate!the!participation!by!disempowered!or!atRrisk!stakeholders.!
2.5.
Consider!establishing!a!stakeholder!
steering!group!or!advisory!com m ittee.!!
The!UK!did!not!establish!a!multiRstakeholder!steering!group!or!advisory!committee,!
only!a!governmental,!interRdepartmental!steering!committee.!
!
!
20!
THE!UNITED!KINGDOM!
3.! NATIONAL!BASELINE!
ASSESSMENT!(NBA) !
COMMENTS!
The!NBA!as!the!Foundation!for!the!NAP!
3.1.
Undertake!a!NBA!as!the!first!step!in!the!
NAP!process.!!
The!UK!did!not!conduct!a!NBA.!The!government!has!committed!to!doing!a!gap!analysis!
sometime!in!the!future.48!
3.2.
Allocate!the!task!of!developing!the!NBA!
to!an!appropriate!body.!!
Not!applicable.!
3.3.
Fully!involve!stakeholders!in!the!
developm ent!of!the!NBA.!
Not!applicable.!
3.4.
Publish!and!disseminate!the!NBA.!
Not!applicable.!
4.! SCOPE,!CONTENT,!AND!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
Scope!of!NAPs!
4.1.
A!NAP!should!address!the!full!scope!of!
the!UNGPs.!
Although!the!UK!NAP!addresses!all!three!Pillars!of!the!UNGPs,!it!does!not!go!through!
the!UNGPs!principle!by!principle,!explaining!how!they!have!each!been!implemented!
and/or!will!be!implemented.!!
!
As!a!whole,!the!NAP!focuses!largely!on!the!business!responsibility!to!respect!human!
rights.!In!Section!4!(covering!Pillar!III!on!access!to!remedy),!there!is!no!discussion!of!
creating!judicial!remedy,!but!instead!the!focus!is!on!companyRrun!grievance!
mechanisms.49!Moreover,!although!the!highest!number!of!planned!actions!are!listed!
under!Section!2!(covering!Pillar!I!on!the!State!duty!to!protect!human!rights),!the!
21!
THE!UNITED!KINGDOM!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
majority!of!these!effectively!relate!to!the!promotion!of!Pillar!II!on!the!corporate!
responsibility!to!respect!human!rights.!!
!
There!is!not!much!information!on!what!other!government!departments!outside!of!the!
FCO!will!be!required!to!do,!such!as!the!Ministry!of!Justice;!the!Home!Office;!the!
Department!for!Business,!Innovation,!and!Skills;!or!the!Department!for!International!
Development.50!!
!
While!an!extensive!analysis!of!the!NAPs!fulfillment!of!each!UNGP!is!a!task!to!be!
completed!during!the!National!Baseline!Assessment!(NBA)!process,!there!are!criteria!
that!can!be!used!to!assess!the!combination!of!scope!and!content.!The!following!four!
subRcriteria!are!indicative!of!the!UK!NAPs!coverage!of!the!full!scope!of!the!UNGPs,!with!
particular!regard!to!the!central!organizing!concept!of!due!diligence.!These!four!subR
criteria!are:!(1)!positive!or!negative!incentives!for!business!to!conduct!due!diligence,!(2)!
disclosure!of!due!diligence!activities,!(3)!measures!which!require!due!diligence!as!the!
basis!for!compliance!with!a!legal!rule,!and!(4)!the!regulatory!mix!(i.e.!a!combination!of!
voluntary!and!mandatory!measures!that!the!State!uses!to!encourage!business!to!
respect!human!rights.)51!These!subRcriteria!are!not!an!exhaustive!list,!but!have!been!
supported!by!other!researchers!and!advocacy!groups!as!indicative!of!a!NAPs!adequacy!
in!terms!of!substantive!content:!!
!
(1)!Positive!and!Negative!Incentives!for!Due!Diligence!
Although!human!right!due!diligence,!meaning!to!identify,!prevent,!and!mitigate!
human!rights!risks,!is!identified!in!Section!3!of!the!UK!NAP!as!something!the!
government!expects!of!business,!there!are!no!specific!positive!or!negative!incentives!
newly!laid!out!in!the!UK!NAPs!planned!actions!to!influence!corporations!to!conduct!
human!rights!due!diligence.!The!only!planned!action!that!explicitly!refers!to!due!
22!
THE!UNITED!KINGDOM!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
diligence!is!in!Section!3(ii).!This!planned!action!states!that!the!government!will!
encourage!sector!groupings/trade!associations!to!create!guidance!relevant!to!human!
rights!in!that!sector,!including!on!due!diligence.!This!planned!action!does!not,!however,!
specify!what!concrete!measures!the!government!will!take!to!encourage!the!
development!of!guidance!in!different!sectors,!let!alone!what!measures!it!will!take!to!
reward!the!use!of!due!diligence!or!punish!failure!to!conduct!due!diligence.!
The!NAP!does!include!information!on!actions!already!taken!that!could!constitute!
incentives!to!conduct!due!diligence.!Specifically,!Section!2(i)!notes!that,!during!
procurement,!public!bodies!can!decide!not!to!consider!certain!bidders!if!there!is!a!
showing!of!grave!misconduct.!The!NAP!notes!that!such!misconduct!might!arise!in!
cases!where!there!are!breaches!of!human!rights.!For!companies!that!rely!on!
government!contracts,!this!could!serve!as!a!fairly!strong!incentive!to!conduct!due!
diligence!in!an!effort!to!prevent!human!rights!abuses!that!amount!to!grave!conduct!
from!occurring!in!the!first!place.!Another!potential!incentive!is!listed!under!Section!
3(iii)!of!the!NAP,!which!states!that,!pursuant!to!the!OECD!2012!common!approaches,!
UK!Export!Finance!considers!National!Contact!Point!statements!about!a!companys!
human!rights!practices!that!are!final!and!negative!when!deciding!if!a!project!may!
receive!an!export!credit.!!
!
(2)!Disclosure!of!Due!Diligence!Activities!
In!Section!3(ii),!the!NAP!refers!to!the!fact!that!the!UK!Companies!Act!of!2006!requires!
that!company!directors!include!information!on!human!rights!in!their!annual!reports.!!
!
In!the!planned!action!sections!of!the!NAP,!however,!there!is!no!reference!to!requiring!
disclosure!of!due!diligence!activities.!!
!
(3)!Measures!Requiring!Due!Diligence!as!the!Basis!for!Compliance!with!a!Legal!Rule!
23!
THE!UNITED!KINGDOM!
PRIORITIES !
4.2.
the!States!jurisdiction.!
4.3.
A!NAP!should!address!international!and!
regional!organizations!and!standards.!!
COMMENTS!
In!the!planned!action!sections!of!the!NAP,!there!is!no!reference!to!a!new!requirement!
of!due!diligence!as!a!component!of!compliance!with!a!legal!rule.!However,!the!Bribery!
Act!is!mentioned!as!an!example!of!an!existing!UK!instrument!designed!to!motivate!
good!corporate!behavior!and!business!respect!for!human!rights.!
!
(4)!Regulatory!Mix!
The!regulatory!mix!is!unsatisfactory!because,!while!the!NAP!clearly!references!existing!
international!legal!instruments!and!national!legislation!protecting!human!rights,!in!
terms!of!actual!future!actions,!its!main!focus!is!on!voluntary!corporate!selfRregulation.!
The!plan!does!not!create!new!legal!obligations!for!companies.52!
The!UK!NAP!does!not!adequately!address!the!full!scope!of!the!States!jurisdiction!as!it!is!
heavily!skewed!towards!external!concerns.!Human!rights!abuses!perpetrated!by!
business!domestically!are!largely!ignored.53!For!example,!although!Section!4(iii)!states!
that!the!UK!will!encourage!companies!to!implement!their!domestic!grievance!
mechanisms!in!their!operations!overseas,!there!is!no!requirement!to!assess!whether!or!
not!those!domestic!grievance!mechanisms!are!operating!in!a!rightsRcompatible!
manner.54!
There!is!discussion!of!international!and!regional!organizations!and!standards!and!how!
the!UK!has!used,!will!continue!to!use,!or!will!begin!to!use!those!organizations!in!its!
quest!to!implement!Pillar!I!of!the!UNGPs.!!
!
Some!international!organizations!and!standards!are!discussed!in!the!actions!taken!
sections!of!the!NAP.!For!example,!actions!taken!under!Section!2!(duty!to!protect)!
states!that!the!UK!played!a!leading!role!in!developing!the!International!Code!of!
Conduct!for!Private!Security!Service!Providers!(ICoC).55!In!this!same!section,!there!is!
also!reference!to!how!UK!will!continue!to!work!on!developing!and!monitoring!OECD!
Due!Diligence!Guidance!for!Responsible!Supply!Chains!of!Minerals!from!Conflict!
24!
THE!UNITED!KINGDOM!
PRIORITIES !
4.4.
A!NAP!should!address!thematic!and!
sectorRspecific!human!rights!issues.!!
COMMENTS!
Affected!and!HighRRisk!Areas.!!
!
International!organizations!and!standards!are!also!discussed!in!the!actions!planned!
subRsection!under!Pillar!I.!Specifically,!the!UK!plans!on!encouraging!State!and!private!
entities!to!only!hire!private!security!contractors!that!are!members!of!the!ICoC!and!
seeking!certification,!plans!on!working!to!strengthen!the!implementation!of!the!
Voluntary!Principles!on!Security!and!Human!Rights,!plans!to!lobby!foreign!States!to!
support!the!UNGPs!and!other!relevant!standards!(e.g.!ILO!Fundamental!Principles),!and!
plans!to!support!the!UN!Working!Group!on!Business!and!Human!Rights.56!
!
There!is!no!mention!of!international!organizations!or!standards!under!Section!3!(duty!
to!respect)!or!Section!4!(access!to!remedy)!of!the!NAP.!
SectorRspecific!planned!actions!are!discussed!in!the!UK!NAP.!As!referred!to!above,!
under!Section!2!(duty!to!protect),!there!are!two!planned!actions!in!the!security!and!
human!rights!sector.!Specifically,!the!UK!government!says!it!will:!(1)!start!to!certify!
landRbased!private!security!contractors!(PSCs)!via!the!UK!Accreditation!Service,!work!to!
strengthen!the!ICoC,!and!encourage!State!and!private!actors!only!to!contract!with!PSCs!
that!are!ICoC!members!and!are!seeking!certification!with!accredited!bodies;!and!(2)!
work!to!strengthen!implementation!of!the!Voluntary!Principles!on!Security!and!Human!
Rights.57!Exports!of!information!and!communications!technology!is!also!addressed!in!
Section!2(v),!where!the!UK!says!it!will!create!guidance!on!the!risks!that!this!technology!
can!pose!to!human!rights.!!!
!
The!theme!of!investment!agreements!is!taken!up!by!the!NAP!as!well.!In!!
New!Actions!Planned!under!Section!2(vii),!the!UK!government!says!it!will!ensure!that!
international!investment!agreements!entered!into!do!not!harm!the!host!countrys!
ability!to!protect!human!rights.!Finally,!Section!3(ii)!states!that!the!UK!government!will!
25!
THE!UNITED!KINGDOM!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
encourage!companies!in!one!sector!to!work!together!to!create!guidance!on!protecting!
human!rights!that!is!relevant!to!that!sector.!!
Content!of!NAPs!
4.5.
The!NAP!should!include!a!statement!of!
com m itm ent!to!the!UNGPs.!
4.6.
A!NAP!should!comprise!action!points!
that!are!specific,!measurable,!
achievable,!relevant,!and!timeRspecific.!
The!UKs!NAP!says!that!the!government!welcomes!the!creation!of!the!UNGPs!and!
that!the!NAP!is!the!UKs!national!implementation!plan!for!the!UNGPs.!58!Section!2(vii)!
states!that!the!UK!will!push!other!States!to!implement!the!UNGPs.59!The!NAP!also!
refers!to!key!international!treaties!and!conventions!beyond!the!UNGPs.!
There!is!a!timetable!for!implementation!for!only!one!of!the!planned!actions.!This!action!
is!in!Section!2(ii),!and!it!only!creates!a!timeline!for!one!section!of!the!planned!action,!
namely,!to!agree!to!a!standard!for!maritime!PSCs.!!
!
Although!some!of!the!planned!actions!go!into!more!detail,!the!majority!of!them!are!not!
specific,!measurable,!and!timeRspecific.!Overall,!criteria!for!success,!measurable!
targets,!and!timetables!are!largely!lacking.60!This!is!a!major!weakness!of!the!NAP!as!a!
whole.!
!
Section!2!(ii)!provides!one!of!the!more!detailed!commitments!included!in!the!NAP.!It!
states!that!the!UK!is!going!to!start!certifying!PSCs!based!on!the!UK!standard!for!landR
based!companies.!It!also!states!that!the!UK!Accreditation!service!will!be!in!charge!of!
certification.!This!planned!action!also!commits!the!UK!to!agreeing!on!a!standard!for!
maritime!PSCs!within!the!year.!This!is!an!example!of!a!concrete!action!that!is!
measurable!and!has!a!time!frame.!!
!
Other!planned!actions,!however,!are!much!less!detailed.!For!example,!Section!2(i)!
26!
THE!UNITED!KINGDOM!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
simply!commits!the!UK!to!develop!partnerships!with!other!countries!to!implement!
the!UNGPs.!Although!it!does!mention!the!UKs!current!partnership!with!Colombia,!it!
could!have!identified!other!particular!countries!or!discussed!steps!taken!with!Colombia!
that!could!be!replicated!in!other!collaborations.!It!is!helpful!that!Section!2(xi)!explicitly!
states!that!UK!will!instruct!its!embassies!and!high!commissions!to!support!human!
rights!defenders!who!are!working!on!business!and!human!rights.!However,!although!it!
does!point!to!the!EU!Guidelines!on!human!rights!defenders,!the!action!plan!does!not!
set!out!concrete!measures!to!ensure!that!such!support!occurs,!and!it!does!not!provide!
any!way!for!success!to!be!measured.!A!more!detailed!planned!action!could!have!said!
that!each!embassy!would!be!required!to!set!aside!a!certain!amount!of!its!budget!and!
appoint!someone!to!be!the!key!contact!person!for!human!rights!defenders!or!to!serve!
as!head!of!implementing!the!EU!Guidelines,!and!that!this!would!be!done!by!a!certain!
date.!Detailing!more!concrete!requirements!like!these!would!make!the!commitment!
more!specific!and!measurable.!Section!2(x)!says!that!the!UK!will!support!the!UN!
Working!Group,!and!states!how!much!the!UK!contributed!financially!in!2012.!Instead!of!
a!vague!commitment!to!support!the!Working!Group,!more!concrete!actions,!such!as!
a!commitment!to!matching!or!exceeding!its!2012!financial!contribution,!would!have!
improved!this!planned!action.!
!
In!Section!3(iii),!the!UK!NAP!merely!says!that!the!UK!will!support!dialogue!between!
business!people,!parliamentarians!and!civil!society,!but!it!does!not!go!into!detail!about!
how!that!will!be!done.!Instead,!it!could!have!laid!out!a!number!of!actions!that!the!UK!
will!take!to!achieve!the!overarching!goal!of!dialogue,!such!as!setting!up!recurring!
meetings!between!members!of!these!groups!and!detailing!how!civil!society!and!
business!can!become!participants!in!those!meetings.!!
!
Section!4(i)!states!that!the!UK!will!disseminate!lessons!from!the!2012!experience!of!
27!
THE!UNITED!KINGDOM!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
the!London!Organising!Committee!of!the!Olympic!and!Paralympic!Games!(LOCOG).!
However,!it!does!not!say!whether!the!analysis!of!the!LOCOG!process!has!already!been!
done!and!merely!needs!to!be!given!to!relevant!groups,!or!whether!it!still!needs!to!be!
completed,!and!if!so,!who!will!do!it!and!by!what!date.!Regardless!of!whether!the!
lessons!learned!have!already!been!compiled,!this!planned!action!does!not!say!to!
whom!this!will!be!disseminated,!in!what!form!(e.g.!as!a!document!or!as!a!training),!or!
how!they!will!be!expected!to!use!the!information.!!
Priorities!for!NAPs!
4.7.
A!NAP!should!prioritize!for!action!the!
most!serious!businessRrelated!hum an!
rights!abuses.!
4.8.
In!line!with!the!HRBA,!the!NAP!should!
focus!on!the!most!vulnerable!and!
excluded!groups.!!
Because!no!NBA!took!place,!any!prioritization!of!human!rights!abuses!was!not!informed!
by!an!NBA.!Although!there!appears!to!be!more!focus!on!a!few!highRrisk!sectors,!such!as!
private!security!contracting,!overall!there!is!no!prioritization!of!particular!human!rights!
issues!apparent!in!the!NAP.!
The!UK!NAP!does!not!adequately!address!issues!related!to!the!most!vulnerable!and!
excluded!groups.!There!is!only!one!action!to!be!taken!that!discusses!vulnerable!or!
excluded!groups.!Specifically,!Section!2(vi)!states!that!the!UK!will!promote!new!project!
activity!to!raise!awareness!and!deal!with!the!harmful!effects!of!business,!including!on!
the!human!rights!of!groups!like!indigenous!peoples,!women,!national!or!ethnic!
minorities,!religious!and!linguistic!minorities,!children,!persons!with!disabilities,!and!
migrant!workers!and!their!families,!by!tasking!our!diplomatic!missions!in!countries!
where!these!are!concerns.!!
!
The!NAP!sets!out!the!expectation!in!Section!3!that!the!UNGPs!should!be!a!guide!for!UK!
companies!and!that!one!of!the!key!principles!is!that!companies!should!consult!with!
people!who!may!be!affected!by!a!particular!project,!and!that!particular!attention!
should!be!paid!to!indigenous!peoples!and!other!groups.!However,!the!expectations!and!
principles!set!out!in!this!section!are!not!reflected!fully!in!the!actions!taken!or!planned.!
28!
THE!UNITED!KINGDOM!
!
5.! TRANSPARENCY !
COMMENTS!
Full!Transparency!With!All!Stakeholders!
5.1.
The!NBA!and!any!other!significant!
analyses!and!submissions!informing!the!
NAP!should!be!published.!
No!NBA!was!done,!so!it!was!not!published.!Interdepartmental!meetings!and!debates!
were!not!transparent,!and!discussions!were!not!made!public.!61!For!example,!minutes!
from!the!meetings!between!the!government!and!business!or!civil!society!were!only!
circulated!confidentially.62!Additionally,!although!draft!outlines!were!sent!to!a!few!
stakeholders!prior!to!finalization,!this!was!done!informally,!and!for!the!most!part!the!
draft!NAP!was!not!made!available!until!it!was!officially!published.63!
6.! ACCOUNTABILITY!AND!
FOLLOWRUP !
COMMENTS!
Holding!DutyRBearers!Accountable!for!Implementation!
6.1.
NAPs!should!identify!who!is!responsible!
for!implementation!of!individual!action!
points!and!overall!followRup.!!
The!NAP!does!not!always!clearly!say!who!within!the!government!will!be!responsible!for!
implementing!the!various!planned!actions.!In!Section!2!(state!duty!to!protect),!only!
three!out!of!the!eleven!planned!actions!((vi)!awareness!raising,!(viii)!lobby!foreign!
states,!and!(xi)!support!human!rights!defenders)!clearly!state!what!part!of!government!
will!be!responsible!and!accountable!for!the!planned!action.!In!Section!3!(company!
responsibility!to!protect),!only!out!of!the!four!planned!actions!((iv)!raising!issues!with!
local!authorities!abroad!regarding!international!human!rights!law)!specifically!names!
the!government!actor!tasked!with!implementation.!In!Section!4!(access!to!remedy),!
only!two!out!of!the!five!planned!actions!((ii)!UK!trade!and!investment!will!advise!
companies!on!grievance!mechanisms,!and!(iv)!support!projects!through!the!FCO!
Human!Rights!and!Democracy!Programme!Fund)!specifically!state!the!part!of!
government!that!will!be!in!charge.!
!
Section!6!(References)!does!provide!a!list!of!mechanisms!for!the!promotion!of!good!
29!
THE!UNITED!KINGDOM!
FOLLOWRUP !
6.2.
NAPs!should!lay!out!a!fram ework!for!
monitoring!of!and!reporting!on!
implementation.!!
COMMENTS!
corporate!behavior!and!the!Government!Departments!that!lead!on!them.!However,!
this!is!in!relation!to!work!that!is!already!being!done,!not!in!relation!to!the!planned!
actions.!In!fact,!there!is!not!much!information!on!what!other!government!departments!
will!be!required!to!do,!such!as!the!Ministry!of!Justice;!Home!Office;!the!Department!for!
Business,!Innovation!and!Skills;!or!the!Department!for!International!Development.64!!
!
Overall!followRup!for!the!NAP!appears!to!be!in!the!hands!of!the!FCO,!as!each!year!the!
Annual!Report!on!Human!Rights!and!Democracy!(created!by!the!FCO)!will!include!
information!on!the!NAPs!progress.!Monitoring!will!also!be!conducted!by!
representatives!of!civil!society,!government,!and!business!who!will!meet!periodically.!
However,!the!NAP!does!not!specify!who!will!be!part!of!the!group!nor!how!often!it!will!
meet.!The!NAP!also!does!not!say!whether!the!interRagency!steering!committee!will!
continue!in!existence!and!play!a!role!in!the!implementation!of!or!follow!up!to!the!
NAP.65!!
There!is!a!framework!laid!out!in!section!5!of!the!NAP.!The!Annual!Report!on!Human!
Rights!and!Democracy!will!include!information!on!the!NAPs!progress!each!year.!
Representatives!of!civil!society,!government,!and!business!will!meet!periodically!to!
monitor!implementation!and!update!it.!An!updated!NAP!is!promised!by!the!end!of!
2015.!This!framework!could!be!improved!by!elaborating!on!what!periodically!means!
(e.g.!whether!it!will!be!annual,!biRannual,!etc.)!and!what!part!of!government!will!be!
responsible!for!convening!the!periodic!meetings.!!
30!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
B.!The!Netherlands!
!
1.! GOVERNANCE!AND!
RESOURCES !
COMMENTS!
1.1.
1.2.
Ensure!responsibility!for!the!NAP !
com m unicated.!
1.3.
!The!Dutch!parliament!and!representatives!of!the!Ministry!of!Foreign!Affairs!(MFA),!
which!has!been!tasked!with!leading!the!Dutch!NAP!process,!have!made!clear!requests!
that!the!UNGPs!be!implemented!nationally.66!The!interviews!with!stakeholders!
conducted!throughout!the!NAPs!development!are!also!a!sign!of!commitment!to!the!
process.!However,!the!lack!of!a!national!baseline!assessment!and!a!plan!for!oversight!
and!monitoring!of!implementation!of!the!NAP!indicates!that!the!governments!
commitment!to!a!comprehensive!process,!meaning!one!that!involves!structured!
evidence!gathering!to!inform!the!content!of!the!NAP!and!followRup!to!the!NAP,!may!be!
significantly!limited.67!
The!Ministry!of!Foreign!Affairs!(MFA)!was!put!in!charge!of!coordinating!the!NAP!
process!and!was!the!chair!of!the!interRministerial!working!group.68!The!MFA!also!hired!
a!consultant!to!conduct!the!stakeholder!interviews!that!took!place!prior!to!the!drafting!
of!the!NAP.!
An!interRministerial!working!group!was!created!in!2012!to!coordinate!the!efforts!to!
develop!the!NAP.!The!working!group!was!chaired!by!the!MFA.69!It!included!
representatives!from!the!Ministry!of!Economic!Affairs,!Ministry!of!Finance,!Ministry!of!
Security!&!Justice,!and!the!Ministry!of!Social!Affairs!&!Employment.70!Departments!
from!the!MFA!that!were!involved!were!the!Legal!Department,!the!Department!for!
Sustainable!Economic!Growth,!the!Department!for!Human!Rights,!and!the!Department!
for!Internal!Market.71!This!group!stayed!active!throughout!the!NAPs!drafting!process,!
responding!to!95!questions!from!the!Dutch!parliament!about!the!plan!prior!to!the!
parliamentary!debate!on!the!NAP.72!!
31!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
1.! GOVERNANCE!AND!
RESOURCES !
1.4.
COMMENTS!
An!overall!timeline!and!terms!of!reference!for!the!entire!NAP!process!were!never!made!
publicly!available.73!!
!
The!terms!of!reference!for!the!consultant!hired!to!conduct!the!stakeholder!interviews!
that!took!place!prior!to!the!drafting!of!the!NAP!were!not!published,!but!were!shared!
with!the!interview!participants.74!The!terms!of!reference!indicated!that!the!consultant!
was!hired!for!a!fixedRterm!assignment.75!
!
The!timeline!and!terms!of!reference!for!the!remainder!of!the!NAP!development!
process!remained!unclear!throughout!the!process.76!If!such!information!was!
developed,!it!was!never!shared!publicly!or!with!interview!participants.77!!
!
After!the!stakeholder!interviews!took!place,!the!drafting!of!the!NAP!began,!yet!the!
timeline!for!this!development!process!was!never!made!publicly!available.78!The!only!
public!commitment!made!in!terms!of!a!timeline!for!the!NAP!came!from!the!MFA!to!the!
Parliament,!initially!indicating!a!specific!date!for!the!publishing!of!the!NAP.79!However,!
this!date!was!postponed!several!times!throughout!the!development!process,!allegedly!
due!to!differences!in!opinion!among!various!ministries!concerning!the!content!of!the!
NAP.80!
!
During!the!drafting!of!the!NAP,!one!consultation!was!conducted!with!each!stakeholder!
group!(i.e.!business,!civil!society/academia,!and!implementing!organizations).81!
1.5.
the!NAP!process.!!
Unknown.!
!
32!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
!
COMMENTS!
2.1.
mapping.!
2.2.
2.3.
The!consultant!hired!to!conduct!the!stakeholder!interviews!completed!a!stakeholder!
mapping.!However,!this!stakeholder!mapping!was!not!published.82!!
See!1.4.!above.!
!
A!select!number!of!external!stakeholders!were!invited!to!participate!in!the!interviews,!
during!which!a!total!of!50!representatives!of!civil!society!organizations,!business,!
implementing!organizations,!and!experts!were!asked!for!inputs.!In!an!attempt!to!
ensure!that!participants!felt!that!they!could!be!as!open!and!honest!as!possible,!an!
external!consultant!conducted!the!interviews.83!While!the!NAP!was!being!drafted,!
three!additional!interviews!were!held!to!further!discuss!specific!issues!raised!during!the!
initial!interviews.!Each!meeting!was!made!up!of!only!one!group!of!stakeholders!(i.e.!
business,!civil!society/academia,!and!implementing!organizations).!This!division!of!
groups!was!also!intended!to!ensure!open!and!honest!dialogue!during!the!stakeholder!
interviews.84!
!
No!broad,!public!consultations!took!place.!As!noted!above,!no!clear!timeline!for!the!
stakeholder!consultations!was!publicly!communicated,!apart!from!the!fixed!timeline!of!
the!consultant!conducting!the!interviews,!which!was!only!shared!with!participants,!and!
the!publication!date!of!the!NAP,!which!was!postponed!several!times.85!!
No!capacityRbuilding!measures!were!included!in!the!NAP!process.86!Relatively!wellR
informed!stakeholders!were!part!of!the!stakeholder!interview!process.87!Although!the!
number!of!consultation!participants!was!significantly!limited,!those!who!did!participate!
were!wellRequipped!to!do!so.88!
33!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
COMMENTS!
2.4.
Participation!by!disempowered!or!atRrisk!stakeholders!was!not!prioritized!nor!
facilitated!during!the!NAP!process.89!
2.5.
steering!group!or!advisory!committee.!!
The!Netherlands!did!not!establish!a!multiRstakeholder!steering!group!or!advisory!
committee,!only!a!governmental,!interRministerial!working!group.90!!
ASSESSMENT!(NBA) !
COMMENTS!
3.1.
NAP!process.!!
A!full!NBA!was!not!conducted!by!the!Dutch!government.!Although!there!was!an!
internal!mapping!of!government!policies,!it!did!not!rise!to!the!level!of!an!NBA.91!!
3.2.
Not!applicable.!However,!the!internal!mapping!was!assigned!to!the!interRministerial!
working!group.92!
3.3.
Not!applicable.!The!internal!mapping!did!not!involve!external!stakeholders.93!
3.4.
Not!applicable.!The!internal!mapping!was!not!published.94!
!
!
!
34!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
Scope!of!NAPs!
4.1.
the!UNGPs.!
The!Dutch!NAP!does!not!go!through!the!UNGPs!principleRbyRprinciple!or!even!PillarRbyR
Pillar.!Instead,!it!is!organized!around!five!points!that!the!NAP!claims!were!the!main!
points!brought!up!during!the!stakeholder!interviews:!(1)!an!active!role!for!the!
government,!(2)!policy!coherence,!(3)!clarifying!due!diligence,!(4)!transparency!and!
reporting,!and!(5)!scope!for!remedy.!The!main!body!of!the!NAP!includes!information!on!
past!actions,!with!commitments!for!future!actions!interspersed.!These!action!points!are!
then!listed!in!bullet!point!form!and!organized!by!the!five!topics!listed!above!in!section!4!
of!the!NAP!on!pages!41!and!42.!
!
There!is!no!clear!indication!of!how!the!action!points!listed!will!contribute!to!the!
realization!of!a!particular!UNGP.!Unfortunately,!the!Dutch!NAP!is!mostly!a!discussion!of!
the!status!of!current!policy,!the!results!of!the!stakeholder!discussions,!and!the!
governments!response!to!the!various!concerns!raised!during!the!consultations,!rather!
than!an!articulation!of!specific,!concrete,!and!measurable!commitments!that!the!
government!plans!to!undergo!to!further!implementation!of!the!UNGPs!or!other!
business!and!human!rights!frameworks.95!!
!
The!NAP!does!not!systematically!address!the!State!duty!to!protect!human!rights!under!
Pillar!I!and!instead!focuses!mostly!on!Pillar!II.!The!NAP!primarily!focuses!on!voluntary,!
instead!of!regulatory,!mechanisms!for!engaging!with!the!State!duty!to!protect!human!
rights.!Pillar!III!on!access!to!remedy!is!also!insufficiently!addressed!as!the!actions!listed!
primarily!look!into!nonRjudicial!grievance!mechanisms,!rather!than!judicial!reforms.96!
The!actions!listed!also!explicitly!exclude!legislation!with!an!extraterritorial!effect.!One!
governance!gap!that!should!have!been!addressed!by!the!NAP!is!that!the!government!
could!be!much!more!active!in!cases!of!suspected!violations!of!criminal!or!
35!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
administrative!human!rights!norms!by!Dutch!companies!abroad.!
!
In!terms!of!substantive!content,!the!following!four!subRcriteria!provide!insight!into!the!
Dutch!NAPs!coverage!of!the!full!scope!of!the!UNGPs!without!conducting!an!extensive!
analysis!of!the!NAPs!fulfillment!of!each!UNGP,!which!is!a!task!to!be!completed!during!
the!national!baseline!assessment!(NBA)!process.!These!four!subRcriteria!are:!(1)!positive!
or!negative!incentives!for!business!to!conduct!due!diligence,!(2)!disclosure!of!due!
diligence!activities,!(3)!measures!which!require!due!diligence!as!the!basis!for!
compliance!with!a!legal!rule,!and!(4)!the!regulatory!mix!(i.e.!a!combination!of!voluntary!
and!mandatory!measures!that!the!State!uses!to!encourage!business!to!respect!human!
rights.)97!These!subRcriteria!are!not!an!exhaustive!list,!but!have!been!supported!by!
other!researchers!and!advocacy!groups!as!indicative!of!a!NAPs!adequacy!in!terms!of!
substantive!content.!The!Dutch!NAP!is!unsatisfactory!under!each!of!these!subRcriteria:!
!
Although!the!NAP!indicates!that!the!Dutch!government!is!willing!to!assist!companies!
that!choose!to!conduct!due!diligence,!the!action!points!do!not!contain!any!positive!or!
negative!incentives!for!companies!to!do!so.!For!example,!in!section!4,!where!the!action!
points!are!listed,!under!Clarifying!due!diligence:!bullet!point!one,!the!government!
commits!to!talking!with!relevant!schools!about!incorporating!CSR!issues!into!their!
curriculum.98!Bullet!point!two!under!this!same!heading!says!that!the!government!gives!
a!grant!to!the!SER!to!help!companies!shape!the!human!rights!component!of!their!CSR!
policies.99!While!both!of!these!are!positive!developments!and!may!help!to!encourage!
due!diligence,!they!do!not!provide!concrete!incentives,!either!positively!or!negatively,!
for!conducting!due!diligence.!!
!
Notably,!the!main!body!of!the!NAP!further!discusses!the!ways!in!which!the!government!
36!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
is!already!providing!assistance!to!companies!that!wish!to!conduct!due!diligence.!For!
example,!the!government!provided!a!grant!to!CSR!Netherlands!that!developed!a!CSR!
Risk!Checkan!online!tool!that!assists!companies!in!figuring!out!their!possible!adverse!
social!impacts!based!on!the!sector!and!country!in!which!they!work.100!!
!
The!government!also!started!a!Sector!Risk!Analysis!Project!to!identify!the!sectors!
most!at!risk!to!be!associated!with!negative!societal!impacts.!The!government!has!
announced!that!it!will!develop!a!number!of!CSR!agreements!with!the!sectors!most!at!
risk,!starting!with!the!textile,!energy,!and!financial!sectors.101!However,!there!is!no!
information!included!in!the!NAP!about!the!likely!content!of!these!agreements.!
Although!it!appears!that!it!would!be!possible!for!one!of!the!agreements!to!include!due!
diligence!or!a!mechanism!to!incentivize!due!diligence,!without!more!information!it!
cannot!be!assumed!that!this!is!the!case.!The!government!has!furthermore!said!that!it!
will!assist!by!removing!obstacles!to!due!diligence!identified!by!companies.102!!
!
Transparency!and!reporting:!bullet!point!two!says!that!the!government!thinks!that!
management!and!supervisory!boards!should!include!more!information!on!their!CSR!
policies!in!their!reports.103!However,!in!the!section!on!action!points!there!is!no!
mention!of!any!requirements!for!disclosure!of!CSR!policies!in!general,!or!of!due!
diligence!activities!in!particular,!and!there!is!no!mention!of!what!information!these!
management!and!supervisory!boards!should!specifically!include.!!
!
In!the!NAP,!the!government!also!gives!its!support!to!the!idea!that!companies!should!
communicate!the!risks!it!finds!through!due!diligence!to!stakeholders!and!investors.104!
The!government!also!stressed!that!the!CSR!agreements!that!it!enters!into!with!
different!sectors!will!emphasize!transparency!and!stakeholder!dialogue.105!!
37!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
!
The!government!also!points!out!that!it!supports!the!European!Commissions!proposal!
that!would!require!large!companies!to!include!nonRfinancial!reporting!on!issues!such!as!
human!rights!and!environmental!impacts.106!This!would!potentially!apply!to!600!Dutch!
companies.107!Another!way!that!the!government!says!it!encourages!reporting!on!social!
issues!is!through!the!transparency!benchmark,!which!rates!the!largest!500!Dutch!
companies!on!transparency.108!However,!as!MVO!Platform!points!out!with!regard!to!
both!the!Transparency!Benchmark!and!the!European!Commissions!future!nonR
financial!reporting!regulation,!the!due!diligence!principle!has!not!yet!found!its!way!
into!these!transparency!initiatives.109!
!
There!are!no!action!points!that!would!require!due!diligence!as!part!of!compliance!with!
a!legal!rule.!However,!the!government!does!commit!to!creating!an!independent!
committee!to!assess!whether!more!legal!regulation!related!to!Dutch!companies!CSR!is!
necessary!in!one!of!the!action!points!(Clarifying!due!diligence:!bullet!point!five).110!This!
future!action!point!does!not!state!that!the!government!will!consider!legal!regulation!
related!specifically!to!human!rights!due!diligence,!but!this!could!be!inferred!based!on!
the!fact!that!it!is!included!under!the!clarifying!due!diligence!section.!!
!
(4)!Regulatory!Mix!
Although!the!government!commits!to!analyzing!the!current!regulatory!mix!in!the!
Netherlands!(Clarifying!due!diligence:!bullet!point!five),111!the!action!points!do!not!
contain!any!mandatory!measures!to!ensure!that!businesses!respect!human!rights.!
Instead,!the!action!points!are!comprised!of!commitments!to!provide!training,!funding,!
and!assessments!and!to!enter!into!CSR!agreements.112!The!main!emphasis!of!the!Dutch!
NAP!is!on!awareness!raising!and!capacity!building,!it!does!not!include!legislative!or!
38!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
enforcement!measures.!Therefore,!the!regulatory!mix!is!unsatisfactory.!
4.2.
4.3.
The!Dutch!NAP!states!that!the!guiding!principle!is!that!businesses!have!a!social!
responsibility!to!apply!the!same!human!rights!norms!both!in!the!Netherlands!and!
elsewhere.113!Despite!this!statement,!however,!the!NAP!explicitly!rejects!legislation!
with!extraterritorial!application,!stating!that![t]he!government!would!point!out!that!
extraterritorial!application!alone!is!not!enough.!A!court!judgment!must!also!be!
enforceable,!and!it!is!not!up!to!the!Netherlands!to!decide!for!other!countries!whether!
this!is!possible.!The!government!is!therefore!not!convinced!that!legislation!with!
extraterritorial!impacts!will!contribute!to!preventing!human!rights!abuses!by!foreign!
companies!in!the!countries!in!which!they!are!active.!There!is!also!too!little!international!
support!for!an!international,!legallyRbinding!instrument.114!On!the!other!hand,!the!
Netherland!Institute!for!Human!Rights!believes!that!the!NAP!does!not!give!enough!
attention!to!human!rights!abuses!committed!domestically.115!
The!Dutch!NAP!addresses!international!and!regional!organizations!and!standards!by!
pointing!out!how!the!Netherlands!currently!works!through!those!organizations!and!
standards.!Specifically,!the!NAP!points!out!that!the!Netherlands!pushes!for!the!
implementation!of!the!UNGPs!in!multilateral!organizations!and!also!pushes!for!
universal!ratification!of!the!core!ILO!standards!in!order!to!ensure!a!level!playing!
field!for!business.116!The!NAP!also!points!out!that!the!Dutch!government!works!
through!various!multilateral!institutions,!such!as!the!ILOs!Better!Work!Programme,!to!
encourage!the!protection!of!human!rights.117!The!NAP!mentions!that!both!civil!society!
and!the!business!community!brought!up!that!the!Dutch!should!use!multilateral!forums!
to!push!for!the!implementation!of!the!UNGPs!more!often.118!
!
There!are!two!action!points!that!refer!to!international!and!regional!organizations!and!
39!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
PRIORITIES !
4.4.
COMMENTS!
standards.!The!government!commits!to!consulting!with!likeRminded!member!states!at!
the!EURlevel!before!2016,!when!the!Dutch!will!be!in!the!EU!presidency,!and!to!
conducting!an!evaluation!of!whether!the!sustainable!procurement!policy!complies!with!
the!OECD!Guidelines.119!!
The!NAP!notes!that!the!importance!of!thematic!and!sectorRspecific!human!rights!issues!
were!brought!up!during!the!stakeholder!interviews,!particularly!with!reference!to!
sector!risk!analysis.!It!also!mentions!that!the!Dutch!government!introduced!Sector!Risk!
Analysis!in!its!CSR!policy!letter,!which!the!government!said!it!would!report!progress!on!
in!early!2014.120!This!project!is!an!attempt!to!identify!the!five!sectors!that!have!the!
highest!number!of!CSR!risks,!including!insight!into!those!risks.!At!the!time!of!this!
assessment,!the!Sector!Risk!Analysis!has!been!performed!by!KPMG,!and!the!results!are!
expected!soon.!However,!some!CSR!platform!members!have!been!cautious!about!the!
process!employed!by!KPMG!and!are!not!optimistic!about!the!quality!of!the!forthcoming!
report.121!
!
Two!of!the!fourteen!action!points!in!the!NAP!address!thematic!or!sectorRspecific!
human!rights!issues.!Transparency!and!reporting:!bullet!point!one!says!that!CSR!
agreements!will!be!made!with!certain!sectors!based!on!the!results!of!the!Sector!Risk!
Analysis!project.122!Scope!for!remedy:!bullet!point!two!addresses!an!amendment!
(which!has!since!been!passed)!to!the!National!Contact!Point!(NCP)!decree!which!would!
allow!the!government,!in!serious!situations,!to!request!that!the!NCP!asses!CSR!issues!
for!a!particular!sector.123!
Content!of!NAPs!
4.5.
The!Dutch!NAP!does!include!a!statement!of!commitment!to!the!UNGPs.!Specifically,!it!
says!that![p]utting!the!UN!Guiding!Principles!into!practice!is!an!important!priority!for!
the!Netherlands.!
40!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
PRIORITIES !
4.6.
COMMENTS!
Out!of!fourteen!action!points!included!in!the!NAP,!only!five!have!specific!timetables.!
These!can!be!found!under!Policy!coherence:!bullet!points!one!and!three,!Clarifying!due!
diligence:!bullet!point!five,!and!Scope!for!remedy:!bullet!points!two!and!three.!For!
example,!the!government!commits!to!organizing!a!conference!on!access!to!remedy!in!
2014!and!to!have!an!independent!committee!assess!whether!Dutch!law!is!in!line!with!
the!UNGPs!during!that!same!year.!The!remaining!action!points!are!much!more!openR
ended.!For!example,!Clarifying!due!diligence:!bullet!point!one,!commits!the!
government!to!enter!into!dialogue!with!educational!institutions!.!.!.!on!including!
business!ethics!and/or!CSR!in!their!curriculums,!yet!there!is!no!timeline!provided!for!
this!initiative!or!articulation!of!how!exactly!such!dialogue!will!be!achieved!or!carried!
out.!
!
There!are!some!action!points!that!are!relatively!specific!and!measurable.!For!example,!
under!Policy!coherence:!bullet!point!two!is!moderately!specific!in!that!it!commits!to!the!
creation!of!an!eRlearning!course!for!ministries!and!implementing!organisations.124!In!
the!body!of!the!report,!it!says!this!would!be!for!civil!servants!at!the!international!level!
as!well.125!However,!this!action!point!could!be!made!even!more!specific!by!laying!out!
the!type!of!information!to!be!included!in!the!eRlearning!course,!whether!it!would!be!
mandatory!for!relevant!ministries!and!civil!servants!to!complete!the!course,!whether!
there!will!be!any!followRup!after!the!eRcourse,!when!it!will!be!completed,!and!what!
institution!would!be!in!charge!of!creating!the!course.!!
!
Policy!coherence:!bullet!point!three,!which!commits!to!evaluating!whether!
procurement!policy!is!consistent!with!the!UNGPs!and!OECD!Guidelines,!is!specific!
relative!to!the!other!bullet!points!because!it!provides!a!general!timeline!and!names!the!
ministry!in!charge!of!implementation!(the!Ministry!of!the!Interior!and!Kingdom!
Relations).!However,!it!is!unclear!how!measurable!this!action!point!is,!as!it!may!depend!
41!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
on!whether!the!Ministry!of!the!Interior!and!Kingdom!Relations!publishes!its!findings!in!
a!report!or!merely!says!that!this!analysis!was!completed.!This!action!point!could!have!
been!further!improved!by!committing!to!the!release!of!such!a!report!so!that!civil!
society!and!other!stakeholders!could!access!it!and!determine!whether!the!action!was!
completed.!This!action!point!also!should!have!explained!how!this!analysis!would!be!
used,!meaning!whether!the!results!would!lead!to!the!consideration!of!procurement!
policy!reform!and!when/how!that!consideration!would!take!place!(e.g.!whether!the!
results!will!be!presented!to!a!particular!relevant!government!body).!!!
!
!The!most!specific!and!measurable!action!point!is!under!Scope!for!remedy:!bullet!point!
three,!which!relates!to!the!Dutch!National!Contact!Point!(NCP).!This!bullet!point!says!
that!the!government!will!acquire!scope!to!ask!the!NCP!to!carry!out!a!sectorRwide!
investigation!into!CSR!issues!in!very!serious!situations.!The!action!point!also!explains!
how!this!power!will!be!acquired!and!when!(namely,!through!amendments!to!the!NCP!
decree!in!the!summer!of!2014).!Although!it!does!not!explain!what!criteria!will!be!used!
to!determine!very!serious!situations,!this!action!point!is!arguably!the!most!concrete,!
specific,!and!measurable!commitment!in!the!Dutch!NAP.!This!action!point!was!indeed!
achieved!during!summer!2014.126!However,!one!of!its!limitations!is!that!the!NCP!cannot!
initiate!these!investigations!on!its!own!but!rather!must!be!requested!by!the!Cabinet.127!!
!
One!of!the!action!points,!Scope!for!remedy:!bullet!point!one,!would!be!a!reasonably!
specific!and!measurable!action!point!if!it!were!outlined!differently.!At!this!time,!it!does!
not!include!any!future!commitment.!It!merely!states!that!the!government!has!already!
given!startRup!funding!to!ACCESS!Facility,!with!no!commitment!for!future!funding!or!
support.!!!
!
There!are!many!action!points!that!are!overly!vague,!however.!For!example,!
42!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
Transparency!and!reporting:!bullet!point!two!commits!to!call!companies!attention!to!
the!importance!of!including!information!about!CSR!policies!in!their!reports!and!
complying!with!the!Corporate!Governance!Code.!Apart!from!the!fact!that!this!action!
point!will!likely!not!achieve!much!change,!it!does!not!specify!what!steps!the!
government!will!take!to!do!this.!Instead,!it!could!have!detailed!that!the!government!
would!create!a!guidance!document!or!report!that!would!then!be!disseminated!to!
companies!or!that!the!government!would!hold!conferences!or!do!presentations!for!
companies!on!the!benefits!of!including!CSR!policy!information!in!their!reports,!amongst!
other!possibilities.!!
!
Another!vague!action!point!is!Scope!for!remedy:!bullet!point!two.!This!action!point!says!
that!the!Dutch!government!will!organize!a!conference!on!judicial!and!nonRjudicial!
grievance!mechanisms!with!ACCESS!Facility!in!2014.!Although!it!does!identify!a!
partner!organization!and!gives!a!timeframe,!the!NAP!should!have!specified!who!else!
would!be!invited!to!this!conference!(e.g.,!is!it!for!government,!civil!society,!and/or!
business?),!what!the!desired!outcomes!would!be,!how!the!government!will!prepare!for!
the!conference!(will!there!be!an!assessment!of!existing!judicial!and!nonRjudicial!
grievance!mechanisms?),!and!what!entity!within!the!government!will!be!in!charge!of!
the!conference.!!
!
Policy!coherence:!bullet!point!one!simply!commits!to!consult!with!other!EU!Member!
States!prior!to!the!2016!Dutch!EU!Presidency.!This!is!very!openRended!and!could!have!
been!improved!by!identifying!key!issues!related!to!business!and!human!rights!that!the!
government!will!consult!on!and!how!those!consultations!will!inform!the!2016!Dutch!EU!
Presidency.!!
!
Other!overly!vague!action!points!include!Clarifying!due!diligence:!bullet!points!one!and!
43!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
three,!and!Transparency!and!reporting:!bullet!point!one.!
4.7.
4.8.
rights!abuses.!
The!NAP!does!not!appear!to!prioritize!any!human!rights!abuses!above!others.!!
excluded!groups.!!
There!is!no!mention!of!vulnerable!and!excluded!groups!in!the!Dutch!NAP.!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
44!
THE!NETHERLANDS!
5.! TRANSPARENCY !
COMMENTS!
5.1.
No!NBA!was!conducted,!and!the!internal!mapping!was!not!made!public.!The!
summaries!of!consultations!were!not!made!publically!available.128!
FOLLOWRUP !
COMMENTS!
6.1.
6.2.
implementation.!!
Three!of!the!fourteen!action!points!identify!the!specific!entity!responsible!for!
implementation!of!and!followRup!to!the!action!point.!These!action!points!can!be!found!
under!Policy!coherence:!bullet!point!three,!Clarifying!due!diligence:!bullet!point!four!
(although!bullet!point!five!says!an!independent!committee!will!be!developed,!it!does!
not!say!who!will!be!part!of!that!committee),!and!Scope!for!remedy:!bullet!point!four.!
The!other!action!points!are!more!vague!and!instead!either!say!that!the!government!
will!complete!the!task!or!leave!out!assignment!of!responsibility!entirely.!For!example,!
Policy!Coherence:!bullet!point!two!says!that!an!eRlearning!course!will!be!developed!
without!mentioning!who!it!will!be!developed!by.!Even!the!action!points!that!are!clearly!
assigned!to!a!particular!entity!within!the!government!do!not!specify!who!will!be!in!
charge!of!followRup!or!how!such!followRup!will!be!conducted.129!
There!is!no!framework!laid!out!in!the!NAP!itself!regarding!monitoring!and!reporting!on!
implementation!of!the!commitments!made!therein.!The!fact!that!many!of!the!action!
points!were!set!to!occur!in!2014!has!led!some!stakeholders!to!question!whether!a!new!
NAP!will!be!written!in!2015!or!later.130!However,!there!is!no!commitment!in!the!NAP!
itself!for!updating!the!document!or!writing!a!new!NAP!in!the!future.131!
45!
DENMARK!
C.!Denmark!
!
1.! GOVERNANCE!AND!
RESOURCES !
COMMENTS!
1.1.
The!Danish!governments!initiative!to!create!a!standalone!NAP!on!business!and!human!
rights!in!addition!to!its!NAP!on!CSR!is!a!positive!development.!However,!the!BHR!NAPs!
frequent!reference!to!the!steps!taken!pursuant!to!the!CSR!NAP!rather!than!outlining!
further!steps!specific!to!BHR!undermines!the!appearance!of!Denmarks!commitment!to!
a!separate!and!comprehensive!BHR!NAP.!The!lack!of!any!monitoring!or!followRup!
procedure!to!the!BHR!NAP!also!demonstrates!a!lack!of!commitment!to!the!NAP!
process.!!
1.2.
communicated.!
The!Ministry!for!Business!and!Growth!and!the!Ministry!of!Foreign!Affairs!were!
responsible!for!the!NAP!process.132!!
1.3.
The!Ministry!of!Justice,!the!Ministry!of!Employment,!the!Ministry!of!Education,!the!
Danish!Export!Credit!Fund,!and!the!Investment!Fund!for!Developing!Countries!(IFU)!all!
provided!input!to!the!NAP.133!
1.4.
No!terms!of!reference!or!a!timeline!for!the!NAP!process!were!devised!or!published.134!
1.5.
the!NAP!process.!!
No!budget!for!the!NAP!process!was!determined.135!
!
46!
DENMARK!
!
COMMENTS!
2.1.
mapping.!
2.2.
2.3.
!No!stakeholder!mapping!was!conducted.136!
The!Danish!government!consulted!with!the!Working!Group!on!Remedy!under!the!
Council!for!CSR,137!the!Mediations!and!ComplaintsRHandling!Institution!for!Responsible!
Business!Conduct,!and!the!Danish!Institute!for!Human!Rights!(DIHR).138!However,!very!
limited!time!was!given!for!providing!input,!and!important!stakeholders,!such!as!the!
Danish!Consumer!Council,!other!members!of!the!Danish!Council!for!CSR,!and!
disempowered!or!atRrisk!stakeholders,!were!not!consulted.139!Additionally,!the!process!
was!not!clearly!and!publicly!communicated.140!
!
The!Danish!Council!for!CSR!provided!recommendations!under!each!Pillar!of!the!UNGPs.!
These!recommendations!were!to!a!large!extent!included!in!the!BHR!NAP.141!
!
For!future!processes,!when!developing!a!timeline!vulnerable!groups,!including!
indigenous!peoples,!should!be!given!sufficient!time!and!occasion!to!submit!input!into!
the!process,!taking!into!account!their!particular!difficulties!in!doing!so.!For!example,!it!
might!be!feasible!to!organise!a!joint!consultation!process!with!indigenous!peoples!for!a!
group!of!closely!associated!states!such!as!the!Nordic!Countries.!
No!adequate!information!and!capacity!building!were!provided.142!!
!
Indigenous!peoples!are!among!the!groups!clearly!requiring!additional!capacityRbuilding!
in!order!to!meaningfully!participate!in!any!stakeholder!consultation!process.!Denmark!
should!therefore!consider!supporting!capacity!building!for!indigenous!peoples!aspiring!
to!apply!the!UNGP!in!the!defense!of!their!rights.!
47!
DENMARK!
2.4.
2.5.
COMMENTS!
!No!participation!by!disempowered!or!atRrisk!stakeholders!was!facilitated.143!
!
Indigenous!communities!are!one!example!of!disempowered!or!atRrisk!stakeholders.!
Ensuring!meaningful!consultation!with!potentially!or!actually!businessRaffected!
indigenous!communities!is!the!key!precondition!for!properly!identifying!and!mitigating!
human!rights!risks!affecting!them.!Again,!for!a!followRup!action!plan,!Denmark!might!
consider!coordinating!such!a!consultation!process!with!other!states!such!as!the!Nordic!
Countries!in!order!to!minimize!effort.!
The!Danish!Council!for!CSR!could!be!considered!a!stakeholder!steering!group/advisory!
committee.144!The!Council!for!CSR!provided!recommendations!under!each!Pillar!of!the!
UNGPs.!These!recommendations!were!to!a!large!extent!included!in!the!BHR!NAP.145!
ASSESSMENT!(NBA) !
COMMENTS!
3.1.
NAP!process.!!
No!NBA!was!conducted.146!However,!there!was!a!highRlevel!table!that!included!key!
observations!and!recommendations!for!each!GP.147!
3.2.
Not!applicable.!However,!the!table!mentioned!in!3.1.!was!developed!by!the!Danish!
Business!Authority.148!
3.3.
Not!applicable.!However,!DIHR!was!able!to!provide!comments!to!the!table!referred!
to!in!3.1.149!
3.4.
Not!applicable.!The!table!referred!to!in!3.1.!was!not!published.150!
48!
DENMARK!
!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
Scope!of!NAPs!
4.1.
the!UNGPs.!
The!main!body!of!the!Danish!NAP!goes!through!each!Pillar!of!the!UNGPs!and!
summarizes!the!respective!GPs,!details!the!recommendations!provided!by!the!Danish!
CSR!Council,!describes!actions!that!have!already!been!taken,!and,!in!the!case!of!Pillar!I!
and!III,!commits!to!a!few!future!planned!actions!relevant!to!those!Pillars.151!In!the!main!
body!of!the!NAP,!there!are!occasional!references!to!past!actions!or!planned!actions!
relating!to!a!particular!UNGP!(e.g.,!page!16!references!GP!5!in!parenthesis!after!a!
planned!action).!However,!the!annexes!explain!which!actions!are!designed!to!
implement!a!particular!UNGP!in!much!more!detail.152!Specifically,!in!Annexes!1!and!2!of!
the!NAP,!there!is!a!schematic!overview!of!Danish!implementation!that!goes!through!
individual!principles!under!Pillars!I!and!III.153!Annex!1!also!explains!which!UNGP!each!
planned!action!is!meant!to!implement.154!!
!
Danish!NAPs!coverage!of!the!full!scope!of!the!UNGPs!without!conducting!an!extensive!
the!National!Baseline!Assessment!(NBA)!process.!These!four!subRcriteria!are:!(1)!
positive!or!negative!incentives!for!business!to!conduct!due!diligence,!(2)!disclosure!of!
due!diligence!activities,!(3)!measures!which!require!due!diligence!as!the!basis!for!
rights).155!These!subRcriteria!are!not!an!exhaustive!list,!but!have!been!supported!by!
substantive!content:!!
!
49!
DENMARK!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
There!is!no!mention!of!due!diligence!in!the!Planned!Actions!section.156!!
!
The!NAP!does!include!information!on!actions!already!taken!or!in!progress!that!
constitute!incentives!to!conduct!due!diligence.!Specifically,!there!is!an!award!given!out!
each!year!for!the!best!nonRfinancial!report!by!the!Danish!Trade!Organization!of!
Auditing,!Accounting,!Tax,!and!Corporate!Finance.157!Part!of!the!evaluation!conducted!
by!the!judges!includes!looking!at!whether!a!company!reports!on!human!rights!
impacts.158!However,!this!is!not!a!government!initiative!as!the!trade!organization!is!a!
private!association!composed!of!member!firms!and!individuals.159!!
!
The!Danida!Business!Partnership,!a!partnership!between!Danish!companies!and!
companies!in!developing!countries,!is!also!mentioned!in!the!NAP.!In!order!to!
participate!in!this!partnership,!a!company!has!to!demonstrate!due!diligence,!including!
human!rights!due!diligence,!though!the!details!of!this!requirement!are!not!outlined!in!
the!NAP.160!The!due!diligence!check!required!by!the!Danida!Business!Partnership!must!
be!in!accordance!with!the!UNGPs.!Although!this!is!a!positive!step,!this!process!could!be!
improved!as!the!current!selfRassessment!guidelines!included!in!the!Guidelines!and!
Conditions!for!Support161!are!based!on!the!UN!Global!Compact.!Moreover,!Annex!1!
(CSR!approach!of!Danida!Business!Partnerships)!only!refers!to!the!first!two!pillars,!
and!it!is!not!very!practically!oriented.!It!would!be!helpful!if!stepRbyRstep!guidelines!on!
the!process!were!provided!to!guide!applicants!on!how!to!live!up!to!this!requirement.!
Furthermore,!the!establishment!of!a!contact!point!in!a!relevant!ministry!may!be!
considered,!so!companies!and!other!partners!can!get!advice!on!how!to!deal!with!this!
process.!This!contact!point!could!also!serve!as!a!place!where!expertise!could!be!
gathered!from!across!Danish!government!ministries,!and!Denmarks!experience!could!
be!compared!to!the!experiences!of!other!countries.!!
50!
DENMARK!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
!
There!is!no!explanation!of!if!or!how!the!government!is!currently!a!part!of!either!the!
Danida!Business!Partnership!or!the!Danish!Trade!Organization!of!Auditing,!Accounting,!
Tax,!and!Corporate!Finances!award!on!best!nonRfinancial!reporting.!!
!
Although!not!directly!a!positive!or!negative!incentive,!the!Danish!government!could!
further!support!companies!and!encourage!them!to!conduct!due!diligence!by!providing!
sector!specific!guidelines.!
!
There!is!no!mention!of!due!diligence!disclosure!in!the!Planned!Actions!section.162!
!
There!is!currently!a!requirement!for!disclosure!of!company!policies!on!human!rights.!
The!NAP!points!out!that,!pursuant!to!an!amendment!to!section!99(a)!of!the!Danish!
Financial!Statements!Act,!from!fiscal!year!2013!onwards!the!CSR!policy!disclosure!
requirement!that!applies!to!all!large!companies!(including!StateRowned!enterprises)!
and!financial!institutions!has!been!expanded!to!include!policies!to!respect!human!rights!
and!reduce!negative!impacts!on!the!climate.163!The!requirements!entail!that!companies!
must!either!disclose!their!policies!to!respect!human!rights!and!reduce!negative!impacts!
on!the!climate,!how!they!implement!these!policies,!and!what!they!have!achieved,!or!
state!that!they!do!not!have!one!or!both!of!these!policies.164!However,!this!requirement!
does!not!include!reporting!on!adverse!human!rights!risks!and!impacts!and!disclosure!of!
due!diligence!activities,!which!is!a!major!weakness!of!the!requirement.!
!
There!is!no!mention!of!due!diligence!as!the!basis!for!compliance!with!a!legal!rule!in!the!
Planned!Actions!section.165!
51!
DENMARK!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
!
Despite!the!existing!requirement!to!disclose!CSR,!human!rights,!and!climate!policies,!
this!does!not,!as!described!above,!create!the!requirement!to!actually!report!on!adverse!
human!rights!risks!and!impacts!and!conduct!due!diligence!as!companies!can!simply!
report!on!their!general!human!rights!commitments!and!procedures!or!report!that!they!
dont!have!a!policy!to!respect!human!rights!in!place.166!Going!forward,!the!Danish!
government!should!consider!making!reporting!on!adverse!human!rights!risks!and!
impacts!and!disclosure!of!due!diligence!activities!mandatory!for!all!large!companies!as!
part!of!the!CSR!policy!disclosure!requirement.!Such!a!requirement!should!also!include!
reporting!on!adverse!human!rights!impacts!and!due!diligence!procedures!in!regard!to!
supply!chains!and!other!business!relationships.!
!
The!NAP!does!point!out!that,!in!order!to!participate!in!the!Danida!Business!Partnership!
(as!described!above),!a!company!must!show!that!it!engages!in!due!diligence,!which!
must!include!human!rights!due!diligence.167!However,!there!is!no!explanation!of!if!or!
how!the!government!is!a!part!of!this!initiative.!!
!
(4)!Regulatory!Mix!
Given!the!very!small!number!of!future!action!points!listed!in!the!Danish!NAP,!it!is!
difficult!to!assess!the!adequacy!of!the!regulatory!mix.!There!is!one!regulatory!measure,!
which!will!abolish!the!DKK!37.5!million!trigger!for!labor!clauses!to!be!included!in!public!
tender!calls!regarding!construction!and!instead!require!such!clauses!in!all!construction!
public!tenders.168!The!other!commitments!are!not!regulatory!in!nature,!but!rather!
include!the!creation!of!an!interRministerial!working!group!to!study!the!prospects!of!
extraterritoriality,!recommendations!for!public!authorities!on!how!not!to!harm!
international!guidelines,!and!case!studies!on!how!social!clauses!in!government!
contracts!work!in!practice.169!
52!
DENMARK!
PRIORITIES !
4.2.
COMMENTS!
!
As!described!above,!an!interRministerial!working!group!has!been!established!to!assess!
the!need!and!feasibility!of!including!extraterritorial!jurisdiction!in!legislation!
regulating!relevant!topics,!with!a!particular!focus!on!access!to!judicial!remedy!for!
victims!of!serious!human!rights!violations!involving!Danish!multinational!enterprises.!
This!is!a!positive!step,!but!the!interRministerial!working!group!should!also!address!the!
need!and!feasibility!of!including!mandatory!due!diligence!in!particular!areas!of!risk!and!
importance!in!order!to!establish!an!adequate!regulatory!mix!with!regard!to!the!
implementation!of!the!UNGPs.!For!instance,!the!Danish!Council!for!CSR!has!
recommended!that!the!Danish!government!should!require!stateRowned!companies!and!
government!agencies!to!incorporate!due!diligence!in!their!business!activities.!The!
Danish!government!should!follow!up!on!this!recommendation.!However,!this!should!
not!be!the!only!initiative!taken!by!the!Danish!government.!
!
Overall,!the!focus!in!the!NAP!is!on!guidance!and!selfRregulatory!measures!and!the!
establishment!of!the!nonRjudicial!Mediation!and!ComplaintsRHandling!Institution!for!
Responsible!Business!Conduct.!Moving!forward,!Denmark!should!focus!on!binding!
measures!under!Pillars!I!and!III!of!the!UNGPs.!
The!introduction!of!the!NAP!states!that!the!NAP!is!focused!on!preventing!and!
mitigating!adverse!impacts!on!human!rights!by!Danish!companies!at!home!and!
abroad.170!!
!
Past/Current!Actions!
The!past!and!current!actions!outlined!in!the!NAP!do!address!the!full!scope!of!the!
States!jurisdiction.!For!example,!the!Mediation!and!ComplaintsRHandling!Institution!
(the!Danish!National!Contact!Point),!which!was!created!in!2012,!can!hear!complaints!
against!Danish!private!companies,!public!authorities,!and!private!organizations!(e.g.,!
53!
DENMARK!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
NGOs)!for!actions!that!allegedly!violate!the!OECD!Guidelines!for!Multinational!
Enterprises,!both!abroad!and!in!Denmark.171!The!Mediation!and!ComplaintsRHandling!
Institution!is!still!a!relatively!new!institution!and!an!important!part!of!the!work!so!far!
has!been!to!disseminate!information!about!the!existence!of!the!institution,!both!at!the!
national!and!international!level.!This!work!is!currently!underway.!In!terms!of!handling!
complaints,!it!is!a!positive!step!that!the!institution,!in!one!of!the!first!cases!handled,!
decided!to!make!a!general!statement!about!retention!of!employees!identification!
papers,!even!though!it!found!that!it!had!not!been!substantially!documented!whether!
the!employer!had!in!fact!retained!employees!passports.172!Danish!civil!society!
organizations!are!increasingly!aware!of!the!potential!of!the!Mediation!and!ComplaintsR
Handling!Institution!as!an!avenue!for!promoting!corporate!accountability!and!expect!
more!specific!instances!(cases)!to!be!raised!in!the!years!to!come.!
!
Additionally,!from!fiscal!year!2013!onwards,!large!Danish!companies!are!required!to!
include!information!about!what!measures!they!are!taking!to!respect!human!rights!and!
reduce!adverse!impacts!on!the!climate!in!their!annual!reports,!pursuant!to!amendment!
99(a)!of!the!Danish!Financial!Statements!Act.173!This!arguably!covers!all!of!the!States!
jurisdiction!as!reporting!on!policies!to!respect!human!rights!and!reduce!adverse!
impacts!on!the!climate!should!include!operations!abroad!as!well!as!in!Denmark.!The!
amendment!99(a)!of!the!Danish!Financial!Statements!Act!has!had!the!positive!effect!
that!most!of!the!large!Danish!companies!covered!by!the!Act!now!have!CSR!policies!in!
place!and!include!it!in!their!annual!report.!Many!companies!are!also!beginning!to!
address!the!issue!of!human!rights.!However,!after!three!years!subject!to!the!legal!
requirement!for!reporting!on!CSR,!only!about!a!quarter!of!the!large!Danish!companies!
that!report!on!CSR!report!on!their!risks,!dilemmas,!and!adverse!impacts/negative!
events.174!In!addition,!very!few!companies!report!on!their!due!diligence!processes.!The!
Danish!government!should!therefore!seriously!consider!strengthening!the!reporting!
54!
DENMARK!
PRIORITIES !
4.3.
COMMENTS!
requirement!on!CSR!for!all!large!Danish!companies!to!include!reporting!on!risks,!
adverse!human!rights!impacts,!and!due!diligence!to!help!ensure!that!companies!
respect!human!rights!and!report!on!their!efforts!to!do!so.!Supply!chains!and!other!
business!partnerships!should!also!be!part!of!such!a!legal!requirement.!
!
Planned!Actions!
One!of!the!planned!actions!relates!to!extraterritoriality.!Specifically,!Denmark!
commits!to!creating!an!interRministerial!working!group!that!will!assess!the!need!and!
feasibility!of!including!extraterritorial!jurisdiction!in!legislation!regulating!relevant!
topics.!This!assessment!will!include!a!study!of!the!practices!of!other!States!and!the!
potential!for!judicial!prosecution.175!Other!planned!actions!relate!to!human!rights!
issues!domestically.!For!example,!in!government!contracts!for!construction!purposes,!
labor!clauses!will!have!to!be!included!in!all!public!tender!calls,!instead!of!only!for!
construction!projects!that!will!cost!over!DKK!37.5!million.176!
In!the!sections!on!past!and!current!actions!to!implement!the!UNGPs!there!are!many!
references!to!international!and!regional!organizations!and!standards.!For!example,!
under!Pillar!I,!the!NAP!references!Denmarks!participation!in!the!Universal!Periodic!
Review!(UPR)!process,177!as!well!as!the!fact!that!Denmark!is!part!of!the!Group!of!
Friends!of!Paragraph!47.178!Under!Pillar!II,!the!NAP!references!the!Danish!CSR!NAP!and!
how!it!is!meant!to!encourage!companies!to!apply!international!guidelines!like!the!OECD!
guidelines,!ISO!26000,!and!the!UN!Global!Compact.179!Under!Pillar!III,!the!NAP!states!
that!the!Mediation!and!ComplaintsRHandling!Institution!for!Responsible!Business!
Conduct,!created!in!2012,!was!established!in!accordance!with!the!international!
effectiveness!criteria!for!nonRjudicial!mediation!and!grievance!mechanisms!laid!out!in!
the!OECD!Guidelines!for!Multinational!Enterprises!and!the!UNGPs.180!
!
55!
DENMARK!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
Planned!Actions!
Given!the!very!limited!number!of!planned!actions,!there!is!only!one!reference!to!
international!or!regional!organizations!and!standards!and!how!they!relate!to!future!
action.!Specifically,!under!Pillar!I,!the!planned!actions!(section!2.4)!reference!ILO!
Convention!94!and!its!general!commitment!to!ensure!that!there!is!more!use!and!
enforcement!of!labor!clauses!in!government!contracts.181!!
4.4.
Thematic!and!sector!specific!human!rights!issues!are!discussed!briefly!in!the!Danish!
NAP.!
!
In!the!sections!on!past!and!current!actions!to!implement!the!UNGPs,!there!are!
references!to!thematic!human!rights!issues.!Specifically,!under!Pillar!I,!discrimination!in!
the!labor!market!is!discussed.182!Additionally,!the!NAP!mentions!the!Partnership!for!
Responsible!Garments!Production!in!Bangladesh!that!the!Danish!government!is!a!part!
of.183!This!initiative!is!a!positive!step!but!has!not!produced!the!expected!results!
regarding!supply!chain!transparency!of!Danish!companies.!To!some!extent!it!
contributed!to!the!achievements!of!the!Accord!on!Fire!and!Building!Safety!and!a!social!
dialogue!project!of!the!Ethical!Trading!Initiatives.!However,!regarding!Danish!
companies,!little!transparency!has!been!achieved!regarding!their!specific!initiatives!and!
results.!
!
Planned!Actions!
In!the!planned!actions!under!Pillar!I!(section!2.4),!the!NAP!includes!planned!actions!that!
focus!on!labor!conditions!and!public!contracting.184!
56!
DENMARK!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
Content!of!NAPs!
4.5.
4.6.
The!Danish!NAP!includes!multiple!statements!of!commitment!to!the!UNGPs.!For!
example,!it!says!that!the!Danish!Government!is!highly!committed!to!the!UN!Global!
Combat![sic]!and!the!UN!Guiding!Principles!on!Business!and!Human!Rights.185!The!NAP!
points!out!that!the!Danish!government!supported!John!Ruggies!work!while!he!was!
developing!the!UNGPs!and!continues!to!support!the!UN!Working!Group.186!The!NAP!
also!notes!that!the!Danish!government!began!to!implement!the!UNGPs!in!2012!when!it!
published!its!CSR!NAP.187!The!NAP!says!that!the!CSR!NAP!was!inspired!by!the!revision!of!
the!OECD!Guidelines,!the!ratification!of!the!UNGPs,!and!the!renewed!EU!Strategy!2011R
2014!on!CSR.188!Finally,!the!NAP!notes!that!the!European!Council!and!European!
Commission!called!on!States!to!create!NAPs!on!BHR,!but!does!not!give!that!as!the!
reason!for!the!Danish!decision!to!write!this!NAP.189!
None!of!the!planned!actions!include!a!timeline.!
!
Furthermore,!it!is!difficult!to!tell!which!actions!have!already!been!completed,!which!are!
underway,!and!which!have!not!yet!been!started,!as!there!are!inconsistencies!in!which!
tense!is!used!in!the!annex!and!in!the!main!body!of!the!NAP!when!discussing!certain!
actions.!For!example,!when!referring!to!workshops!conducted!by!the!Trade!Council!and!
the!Danish!Business!Authority,!the!Annex!says!that!they!will!include!practical!guidance!
on!how!to!demonstrate!due!diligence,190!while!in!the!main!body!of!the!NAP!it!says!
they!include!practical!guidance!on!how!to!demonstrate!due!diligence.191!Additionally,!
the!Annex!states!that!the!Government!will!introduce!a!bill!proposing!that!the!largest!
Danish!companies!and!stateRowned!limited!liability!companies!in!future!must!expressly!
state!in!their!reports!what!measures!they!are!taking!to!respect!human!rights!and!
reduce!their!impact!on!the!climate.!Conversely,!in!the!main!body!of!the!NAP,!it!says!
that!this!has!already!been!completed!through!an!amendment!to!Section!99a!of!the!
57!
DENMARK!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
Danish!Financial!Statements!Act.192!Clarity!about!what!has!been!completed!and!what!
still!needs!to!be!completed!is!important!and!will!help!enable!more!effective!monitoring!
of!the!commitments!outlined!in!the!NAP.!
!
The!planned!actions!listed!under!Pillar!I!(the!only!Pillar!that!has!future!planned!actions!
listed)!are!all!relevant!to!implementation!of!the!UNGPs.!They!are!also!relatively!specific.!
For!example,!one!of!the!planned!actions!involves!creating!an!interRministerial!working!
group!with!the!purpose!of!assessing!the!need!and!feasibility!of!enacting!relevant!
legislation!with!extraterritorial!application.!This!planned!action!lays!out!the!questions!
this!group!will!be!tasked!with!answering,!namely,!(1)!the!practices!and!experiences!of!
other!countries!in!this!area,!(2)!based!on!that,!what!has!worked!and!what!has!not!
worked,!and!(3)!whether!judicial!prosecutions!(as!recommended!by!the!Danish!Council!
for!CSR)!for!severe!human!rights!impacts!should!be!conducted.193!Although!it!is!still!a!
relatively!specific!planned!action,!this!planned!action!could!have!been!made!even!more!
specific!by!explaining!whether!the!interRministerial!group!would!publish!a!report,!if!
their!conclusions!would!be!available!to!the!public!in!some!form,!and!what!followRup!
measures!would!be!taken!based!on!their!recommendations/conclusions.!Including!
more!specific!details!such!as!these!would!make!it!easier!to!monitor!and!determine!
whether!the!action!plan!was!actually!implemented!(e.g.,!if!no!findings!are!published!in!
any!form,!it!will!be!hard!for!civil!society!to!determine!if!and!how!adequately!the!interR
ministerial!working!group!actually!studied!the!questions!listed!above).!!
!
Similarly,!the!planned!action!regarding!labor!clauses!in!government!construction!
project!contracts!is!quite!specific.!It!lays!out!a!particular!monetary!threshold!in!Danish!
law!that!will!be!abolished,!with!the!effect!of!requiring!labor!clauses!in!all!such!contracts!
instead!of!those!above!DKK!37.5!million.194!Whether!or!not!this!happens!will!be!easy!to!
measure/monitor,!as!either!the!government!will!succeed!in!changing!the!law!or!it!will!
58!
DENMARK!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
not.!
!
Other!planned!actions!are!not!as!specific!and!measurable.!For!example,!the!
commitment!to!having!municipalities!and!regions!jointly!prepare!guidelines!for!how!
public!authorities!can!avoid!having!an!adverse!impact!on!international!guidelines!is!
quite!vague.!Although!in!the!Annex!there!is!a!little!more!information!provided!(e.g.,!
the!guidelines!should!be!used!to!manage!the!challenges!public!authorities!are!facing!
today!when!acting!as!a!private!company),195!the!NAP!could!have!laid!out!a!timeline!for!
meetings!between!various!municipalities!and!regions,!what!government!department!or!
official!would!be!in!charge!of!leading!the!process,!and!what!types!of!questions!these!
guidelines!should!attempt!to!answer.!
4.7.
4.8.
rights!abuses.!
There!does!not!appear!to!be!any!prioritization!of!particular!businessRrelated!human!
rights!abuses.!
excluded!groups.!!
There!is!no!mention!of!vulnerable!or!excluded!groups,!such!as!indigenous!communities,!
in!the!Danish!NAP.!The!Danish!NAP!does!not!contain!the!expression!vulnerable!
groups,!not!even!the!standRalone!adjectives!vulnerable!and!marginalized.!There!is!
no!mention!of!the!word!group,!referring!to!a!group!exposed!to!specific!human!rights!
risks.!This!appears!as!a!key!deviation!from!the!UNGPs!General!principles,!which!
stipulate!that![t]hese!Guiding!Principles!should!be!implemented!in!a!nonR
discriminatory!manner,!with!particular!attention!to!the!rights!and!needs!of,!as!well!as!
the!challenges!faced!by,!individuals!from!groups!or!populations!that!may!be!at!
heightened!risk!of!becoming!vulnerable!or!marginalized.196!
!
The!need!for!particular!attention!within!NAPs!to!groups!such!as!indigenous!peoples!has!
59!
DENMARK!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
also!been!highlighted!in!the!report!of!the!UN!Working!Group!on!Business!and!Human!
Rights!to!the!UN!General!Assembly.197!
5.! TRANSPARENCY !
COMMENTS!
5.1.
No!NBA!was!conducted!or!published.!No!significant!analysis!was!conducted!and!no!
submissions!were!published.198!!
FOLLOWRUP !
COMMENTS!
6.1.
The!planned!actions!lay!out!who!will!be!generally!responsible!for!implementing!the!
action,!but!they!are!not!specific!enough.!First,!the!study!of!the!feasibility!of!
extraterritorial!legislation!will!be!assigned!to!an!interRministerial!working!group.199!
However,!which!ministries!will!be!involved!in!that!working!group!is!not!explained.!
Second,!the!guidelines!for!public!authorities!on!how!to!avoid!having!an!adverse!
impact!on!international!guidelines!will!be!created!by!municipalities!and!regions!
jointly.200!This,!again,!is!rather!vague!as!it!does!not!say!what!part!of!municipal!
governments!will!be!involved.!Third,!after!the!threshold!value!of!DKK!37.5!million!is!
removed,!all!government!entities!that!contract!for!construction!projects!must!include!a!
labor!clause!in!those!contracts.201!
60!
DENMARK!
FOLLOWRUP !
6.2.
implementation.!!
COMMENTS!
!
Other!commitments!are!even!more!vague.!For!example,!there!is!no!indication!of!who!
will!be!in!charge!of!putting!together!a!document!of!case!studies!to!demonstrate!how!
companies!and!municipalities!work!with!social!clauses!in!practice.202!
There!is!no!framework!for!monitoring!or!reporting!laid!out!in!the!NAP.!In!Section!5,!
entitled!Looking!Ahead,!the!government!simply!commits!to!continuously!update!
Danish!priorities!with!regard!to!the!implementation!of!the!UN!Guiding!Principles!in!
alignment!with!the!National!Action!Plan!for!CSR!2012R15.203!There!is!no!explanation!of!
what!this!continuous!update!will!entail,!what!part!of!the!government!will!be!in!charge,!
or!when!it!will!take!place.!It!also!only!refers!to!the!NAP!for!CSR,!and!does!not!say!how!
the!small!number!of!planned!actions!laid!out!in!the!NAP!on!BHR!will!be!monitored!or!if!
the!BHR!NAP!will!be!updated!in!the!future.204!
61!
FINLAND!
D.!Finland!
!
1.! GOVERNANCE!AND!
RESOURCES !
COMMENTS!
1.1.
1.2.
com m unicated.!
1.3.
Finland!announced!its!decision!to!draft!a!NAP!on!business!and!human!rights!in!its!
Resolution!on!Corporate!Social!Responsibility!on!November!22,!2012.205!On!September!
17,!2014,!the!Finnish!Government!adopted!the!Working!Groups!(discussed!further!in!
1.3)!proposed!plan!on!implementation!of!the!UNGPs.206!The!fact!that!Finland!has!a!plan!
for!monitoring!implementation!of!the!NAP,!with!yearly!monitoring!by!the!Committee!
for!Corporate!Social!Responsibility207!and!additional!monitoring!of!planned!actions!by!
specific!ministries,!is!a!positive!indication!of!the!governments!commitment!to!the!NAP!
process.!The!creation!of!the!interRministerial!working!group!is!another!positive!
indication!of!this!commitment,!as!is!the!fact!that!the!Finnish!NAP!expressly!says!that!it!
is!designed!in!a!manner!that!allows!potential!new!measures!to!be!defined.208!This!
means!that!Finland!recognizes!that!this!NAP!is!just!a!starting!point!and!that!there!may!
be!actions!that!should!be!added!on!in!the!future.!
The!Ministry!of!Employment!and!Economy!was!tasked!with!overseeing!the!NAP!
drafting!process.!Specifically,!it!created!an!interRministerial!working!group!(discussed!
further!in!1.3),!which!then!submitted!to!the!Ministry!of!Employment!and!Economy!a!
proposal!for!implementing!the!UNGPs!in!Finland.!
The!Ministry!of!Employment!and!Economy!created!an!interRministerial!working!
group.209!The!Working!Group!was!tasked!with!creating!a!proposal!for!a!national!plan!to!
implement!the!UNGPs.!The!Working!Group!met!between!May!28,!2013!and!March!31,!
2014.210!The!Working!Group!was!chaired!by!Government!Counsellor!Antti!Riivari!and!its!
secretary!was!Senior!Specialist!Linda!Piirto,!both!of!whom!work!in!the!Ministry!of!
Employment!and!Economy.211!The!other!ministries!that!were!part!of!the!working!group!
were:!
62!
FINLAND!
1.! GOVERNANCE!AND!
RESOURCES !
COMMENTS!
!
1.4.
The!Ministry!of!Foreign!Affairs:!Advisor!Merja!Lahtinen,!Counsellor!for!
Foreign!Affairs!Rauno!Merisaari,!Commercial!Counsellor!Kent!Wilska,!and!
from!January!1,!2014!Advisor!Linda!Ekholm.!
The!Ministry!of!Education!and!Culture:!Counsellor!for!Cultural!Affairs!Marjo!
Menp.!
The!Ministry!of!Agriculture!and!Forestry:!Government!Counsellor!Timo!
Tolvi.!
The!Ministry!of!Justice:!Ministerial!Advisor!Kaisa!Tiusanen,!and!from!
October!31,!2013!Ministerial!Advisor!Camilla!BusckRNielsen.!
The!Ministry!of!Transport!and!Communication:!Government!Counsellor!
Kaiser!Leena!Vlipirtti.!
The!Ministry!of!Finance:!Ministerial!Advisor!Taina!Eckstein.!
The!Ministry!of!Social!Affairs!and!Health:!Senior!Officer!Ismo!Suksi!and!
Senior!Officer!Piia!Mattila.!
The!Prime!Ministers!Office:!Government!Counsellor!Ilpo!Nuutinen,!and!
from!November!1,!2013!Chief!Senior!Specialist!Sinikka!Mustakari!and!
Financial!Counsellor!Petri!Vihervouri.!
The!Ministry!of!the!Interior:!Program!Coordinator!Krista!Nuutinen.212!
!
The!result!of!the!Working!Groups!activities!is!Finlands!National!Action!Plan!on!
implementation!of!the!UNGPs.!
The!process!for!drafting!the!NAP!was!discussed!by!the!Committee!for!Corporate!Social!
Responsibility,!and!information!about!the!dates!that!stakeholder!hearings!would!be!
conducted!was!published.213!However,!the!overall!process!was!unclear.!After!the!
Working!Group!published!its!proposal,!neither!information!about!the!status!of!the!draft!
nor!about!the!political!process!through!which!the!NAP!was!approved!were!
63!
FINLAND!
1.! GOVERNANCE!AND!
RESOURCES !
COMMENTS!
published.214!The!NAP!was!ultimately!approved!during!an!informal!meeting!of!the!
ministers.215!!
1.5.
the!NAP!process.!!
No!budget!was!made!public.216!
COMMENTS!
2.1.
mapping.!
2.2.
2.3.
Unknown.217!
The!Working!Group!consulted!with!stakeholders!during!two!public!consultations.218!
Tens!of!NGOs!and!companies!were!invited!to!these!stakeholder!hearings.219!The!dates!
of!these!consultations!were!published.220!The!Working!Group!also!accepted!comments!
in!writing.221!!
The!UNGPs!were!translated!into!Finnish.!The!Committee!for!Corporate!Social!
Responsibility!was!provided!with!information!about!previously!published!BHR!NAPs!in!
other!countries.222!However,!clarity!of!the!process!would!have!improved!meaningful!
participation!of!the!civil!society!organizations!(CSOs).!The!Ministry!of!Employment!and!
Economy!insisted!on!at!first!hearing!different!stakeholder!groups!(CSOs!and!business)!
separately!and!declined!holding!a!common!hearing!for!all!interest!groups.!However,!all!
the!stakeholders!were!invited!to!the!second!hearing!after!the!Working!Group!had!
published!its!draft.!
64!
FINLAND!
2.4.
2.5.
COMMENTS!
All!organizations,!ministries,!and!companies!at!the!consultations!were!Finnish.223!It!is!
unclear!whether!the!government!directly!heard!from!disempowered!stakeholders!such!
as!migrants,!indigenous!peoples!residing!in!northern!Finland,!or!other!minorities.224!
One!NGO!present!at!the!consultations!worked!on!issues!facing!people!with!physical!
disabilities.!Other!NGOs!present!at!the!hearing!work!on!issues!related!to!
disempowered!or!atRrisk!stakeholders.!For!example,!Finnwatch!works!with!migrants!
and!Amnesty!International!works!with!transgender!peoples!and!indigenous!peoples.!
However,!the!NGO!for!people!with!physical!disabilities!was!the!only!one!in!which!atRrisk!
groups!were!able!to!represent!themselves.225!
In!Finland,!there!is!a!permanent!Committee!for!Corporate!Social!Responsibility!(YHVA)!
that!is!composed!of!individuals!from!government!ministries,!NGOs,!trade!unions,!and!
the!church.226!This!steering!group!was!involved!in!the!NAP!drafting!process.227!No!new!
stakeholder!steering!committee!was!created.228!!
ASSESSMENT!(NBA) !
COMMENTS!
3.1.
NAP!process.!!
No!national!baseline!assessment!(NBA)!was!conducted!and/or!published.!Although!a!
background!memorandum!was!carried!out!by!government!ministries!and!published,!it!
did!not!rise!to!the!level!of!a!NBA.!The!background!memorandum!included!information!
on!Finnish!legislation,!provisions!on!fundamental!rights!and!international!conventions,!
and!other!measures!and!practices!of!the!authorities!in!relation!to!the!UN!principles.!It!
was!created!for!use!by!the!Working!Group!and!was!intended!to!inform!its!proposals.229!
However,!this!memorandum!did!not!rise!to!the!level!of!a!NBA!because!it!did!not!focus!
on!the!key!questions!of!the!UNGPs,!and!nonRState!stakeholders!did!not!find!it!very!
useful!and!were!not!involved!in!its!development.!This!is!problematic!because!a!
65!
FINLAND!
ASSESSMENT!(NBA) !
COMMENTS!
thorough!NBA!is!necessary!to!ensure!that!the!government!identifies!the!most!pressing!
legislative!gaps!in!the!protection!of!human!rights.!
!
However,!within!the!action!items!outlined!in!the!NAP,!the!government!committed!to!
commissioning!a!thorough!legislative!survey!focusing!on!the!UNGPs!three!Pillars!and!
current!legislative!gaps.!
3.2.
Not!applicable.!However,!various!ministries!were!involved!in!development!of!the!
background!memorandum.!
3.3.
Not!applicable.!No!nonRgovernmental!stakeholders!were!involved!in!the!development!
of!the!background!memorandum.!
3.4.
The!background!memorandum!was!made!publically!available.!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
Scope!of!NAPs!
4.1.
the!UNGPs.!
Most!of!the!content!of!the!Finnish!NAP!focuses!on!voluntary!measures,!research,!and!
guidance!to!companies.!As!such,!the!NAP!is!severely!lacking!in!regulatory!measures.!
Most!of!the!attention!is!on!Pillars!I!and!II,!with!very!little!attention!to!Pillar!III.!
!
Finnish!NAPs!coverage!of!the!full!scope!of!the!UNGPs!without!conducting!an!extensive!
66!
FINLAND!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
the!national!baseline!assessment!(NBA)!process.!These!four!subRcriteria!are:!(1)!positive!
or!negative!incentives!for!business!to!conduct!due!diligence,!(2)!disclosure!of!due!
diligence!activities,!(3)!measures!which!require!due!diligence!as!the!basis!for!
rights).230!These!subRcriteria!are!not!an!exhaustive!list,!but!have!been!supported!by!
substantive!content.!The!Finnish!NAP!is!unsatisfactory!under!each!of!these!subRcriteria:!
!
One!potential!positive!incentive!to!conduct!due!diligence!is!the!annual!CSR!reporting!
competition!put!on!by!the!Ministry!of!Employment!and!the!Economy!and!the!Ministry!
of!the!Environment.!One!of!the!future!action!points!contained!in!the!NAP!says!that!
Finland!will!make!human!rights!the!theme!of!this!competition.231!However,!whether!
this!would!in!any!way!incentivize!due!diligence!depends!on!information!not!provided!in!
the!NAP.!For!example,!currently!the!judges!in!this!competition!just!evaluate!how!well!
the!companies!report!on!their!policies,!not!the!quality!of!the!actual!policies!companies!
have!in!place.!This!competition!would!be!more!likely!to!incentivize!due!diligence!if!the!
companies!that!are!more!likely!to!win!are!those!that!conduct!effective!due!diligence!
and!that!can!identify!and!mitigate!their!human!rights!risks.!
!
There!do!not!appear!to!be!any!other!positive!or!negative!incentives!for!conducting!due!
diligence!contained!in!the!NAP.!However,!the!State!does!commit!to!providing!support!
to!companies!that!wish!to!conduct!due!diligence,!for!example,!by!holding!roundtable!
dialogues!by!branch!of!activity!with!the!goal!of!pinpointing!the!highest!risks!for!each!
branch!and!by!promoting!the!sharing!of!due!diligence!best!practices.232!!
!
67!
FINLAND!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
The!NAP!also!commits!the!State!to!actively!participate!in!the!discussion!of!the!
proposal!for!a!regulation!on!conflict!minerals.233!The!proposal!the!NAP!is!referring!to!is!
a!proposal!by!the!European!Commission!to!create!a!due!diligence!system!for!the!
union.234!
!
The!government!decided!during!the!political!process!that!the!majority!of!StateRowned!
companies!will!start!to!assess!their!human!right!risks!throughout!their!production!chain!
and!report!on!this.!This!was!not!included!in!the!original!draft!of!the!NAP!draft!and!is!
only!mentioned!in!the!separate!statement!that!was!published!in!the!informal!meeting!
of!the!ministers.!It!has!not!been!translated!in!to!English.235!
The!NAP!points!out!that!unlisted!companies!that!are!entirely!owned!by!the!State!or!
that!are!majority!StateRowned!have!a!CSR!reporting!requirement.236!These!reports!
must!include!information!on!human!rights.237!However,!it!is!unclear!from!the!NAP!
whether!they!must!report!on!due!diligence!activities.238!!
!
The!NAP!discusses!the!European!Commission!directive239!on!nonRfinancial!reporting,!
which!requires!companies!of!significant!public!interest!with!more!than!500!employees!
on!average!on!the!account!closing!date!to!report!material!data!on!human!rights,!the!
environment,!social!affairs,!employees,!and!preventing!bribery!and!corruption.240!The!
report!would!have!to!include,!among!other!information,!the!policies!the!company!has!
in!place,!including!due!diligence!related!to!them,!and!their!effectiveness.241!The!NAP!
says!that!Finland!will!start!to!prepare!to!implement!this!proposal.242!
!
In!terms!of!new!commitments,!the!NAP!commits!to!making!human!rights!the!theme!of!
the!annual!CSR!reporting!competition,!mentioned!earlier.243!This!improvement!to!the!
68!
FINLAND!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
competition!could!incentivize!disclosure!of!any!due!diligence!activities!that!a!company!
already!conducts!regarding!human!rights.244!
!
There!are!no!measures!mentioned!in!the!NAP!that!require!due!diligence!as!the!basis!
for!compliance!with!a!legal!rule.!The!NAP!acknowledges!that,!during!consultations,!it!
was!suggested!that!Finland!enact!a!statutory!obligation!for!companies!to!conduct!due!
diligence.!The!State!rejected!this,!stating!that![t]ransforming!the!due!diligence!
described!above!into!a!legally!binding!obligation!is!difficult!to!envisage.245!The!State!
goes!on!to!say!that!defining!the!obligations!would!be!difficult!and!that!instead!there!
should!be!increased!discussion!about!risks!specific!to!particular!branches!of!activity!and!
types!of!risk!management!that!could!be!useful.246!
!
(4)!Regulatory!Mix!
The!NAP!is!heavily!skewed!to!voluntary!measures!and!providing!support!and!training.!In!
fact,!the!NAP!states!that![t]he!objective!of!this!proposal!is!to!initiate!measures!that!
bring!more!attention!to!the!link!between!business!activities!and!human!rights!in!order!
to!help!companies!be!more!aware!of!the!impacts!their!activities!have!on!human!
rights.247!
!
For!example,!instead!of!committing!to!any!legislation!to!regulate!international!business!
activities,!Finland!commits!to!creating!a!report!on!existing!Finnish!legislation!that!
relates!to!such!activities.248!However,!this!is!a!positive!step!in!that!it!would!retroactively!
fulfill!the!expectation!that!each!State!conduct!a!national!baseline!assessment!(NBA)!on!
current!UNGPs!implementation.!The!NAP!also!includes!many!commitments!to!promote!
the!UNGPs!and!their!implementation!through!international!organizations.249!In!its!
separate!statement,!the!government!concertized!the!scope!of!the!legislative!survey,!
69!
FINLAND!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
emphasizing!that!it!should!focus!on!the!UNGPs!Pillars!and!current!legislative!gaps,!
including!presenting!concrete!proposals!for!the!way!forward.!
!
In!the!NAPs!section!on!procurement,!the!past/current!actions!are!entirely!voluntary!or!
guidanceRbased.!Specifically,!the!NAP!states!that!Finland!is!amending!the!Act!on!Public!
Contracts!to!make!consideration!of!social!issues!in!public!procurement!easier.250!The!
NAP!also!points!to!the!existence!of!a!website!(CSRKompassi.fi)!that!gives!information!to!
government!bodies!wishing!to!include!social!issues!in!their!procurement.251!The!future!
commitments!are!also!entirely!voluntary!or!guidanceRbased.!In!fact,!the!NAP!points!out!
that,!during!consultations,!it!was!suggested!that!a!statutory!obligation!be!created!to!
require!consideration!of!social!issues!during!public!procurement!decisions.252!The!NAP!
rejects!this!idea!and!instead!commits!to!nonRlegislative!measures,!such!as!adding!to!the!
procurement!guidelines!a!reference!to!section!49!of!the!Act!on!Public!Contracts!and!
the!Guide!to!socially!responsible!procurement.253!The!NAP!also!commits!to!producing!a!
report!on!the!product!groups!for!which!there!is!a!high!risk!of!human!rights!violations!in!
the!supply!chain.254!However,!the!government!underlined!in!its!own!decision,!to!look!
into!improving!social!responsibility!criteria,!in!line!with!the!EU!Public!Procurement!
Directive,!when!amending!the!Public!Procurement!Act.!
!
This!holds!true!for!the!section!on!due!diligence!as!well,!which!rejects!the!creation!of!a!
statutory!obligation!for!companies!to!conduct!due!diligence!and!instead!focuses!on!
roundtable!discussions!to!assess!the!areas!of!risk!for!each!branch!of!activity!and!on!
promoting!the!dissemination!of!due!diligence!best!practices.255!
!
Finally,!the!NAP!commits!to!providing!additional!training,!especially!to!small!and!
medium!enterprises!(SMEs),!on!business!and!human!rights!issues.256!
70!
FINLAND!
PRIORITIES !
4.2.
4.3.
4.4.
COMMENTS!
The!Finnish!NAP!is!focused!on!protecting!human!rights!abroad!and!does!not!discuss!
national!legislation!that!regulates!business!within!Finlands!borders.257!There!is!no!
discussion!in!the!Finnish!NAP!on!extraterritoriality.!However,!there!are!other!action!
points!that!would!apply!abroad.!For!example,!the!NAP!commits!the!State!to!support!
the!strengthening!of!human!rights!assessments!in!third!countries!during!EU!trade!or!
investment!agreement!negotiations!and!when!monitoring!their!implementation.258!It!
also!commits!Finland!to!creating!a!report!on!product!groups!that!are!high!risk!for!
human!rights!violations!with!the!goal!to!increase!the!awareness!related!to!responsible!
procurement!and!help!target!the!consideration!of!the!social!aspect!for!the!product!
groups!that!pose!the!highest!risk.259!!
The!Finnish!NAP!extensively!discusses!international!and!regional!organizations!and!
standards!and!how!the!State!will!use!those!organizations!and!standards!to!push!for!
further!implementation!of!the!UNGPs.!Specifically,!there!is!a!subRsection!(section!1.2)!
dedicated!to!activities!in!international!organizations,!under!which!there!are!11!
followRup!measures!listed.260!For!example,!Finland!commits!to!support!and!participate!
in!the!update!of!the!OECD!Policy!Framework!for!Investment.261!SubRsection!1.3!
discusses!activities!in!the!EU,!under!which!there!are!additional!followRup!measures!
listed.!The!NAPs!discussion!of!these!standards!and!organization!continues!throughout!
the!NAP!and!is!not!limited!to!subRsections!1.2!and!1.3.!For!example,!a!followRup!action!
listed!on!page!22!says!that!there!will!be!dialogue!about!the!UNGPs!and!OECD!
guidelines!with!public!financial!institutions.262!!
The!NAP!does!address!thematic!and!sectorRspecific!human!rights!issues.!It!touches!on!
childrens!rights,263!the!rights!of!indigenous!persons,264!extractive!activities,265!issues!
related!to!trade,266!labor!rights,267!communication!technology,268!the!right!to!privacy,269!
and!government!procurement.270!!!
!
For!example,!one!followRup!action!commits!Finland!to!translating!the!UN!Committee!
71!
FINLAND!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
on!the!Rights!of!the!Child!General!Comment!No.!16!into!Finnish!and!Swedish!and!to!
distributing!it!to!various!entities.271!Finland!also!commits!to!creating!a!roundtable!
discussion!on!the!right!to!privacy,!including!the!State,!civil!society,!and!ICT!
companies.272!
Content!of!NAPs!
4.5.
4.6.
The!NAP!does!include!a!statement!of!commitment!to!the!UNGPs.!Specifically,!one!of!
the!followRup!actions!says!Finland!supports!the!observance!and!implementation!of!the!
Guiding!Principles!on!Business!and!Human!Rights!approved!by!the!Human!Rights!
Council.273!
Many!of!the!followRup!actions!listed!in!the!Finnish!NAP!are!timeRspecific.!At!the!end!of!
each!list!of!proposed!followRup!measures,!there!is!a!section!in!bold!that!states!the!part!
of!government!that!is!the!principal!responsible!party!and!either!states!that!these!are!
meant!to!be!continuous!activities!or!provides!a!year!that!the!followRup!actions!should!
be!completed!by.!Out!of!the!listed!action!points,!just!over!half!are!listed!as!continuous!
activities!(meaning!they!are!not!timeRspecific)!while!just!under!half!include!a!date!or!
date!range!for!completion.!!
!
The!number!of!action!points!in!the!Finnish!NAP!is!certainly!sufficient.!However,!the!
quality!of!the!action!points!must!also!be!assessed.!Overall,!the!action!points!are!
inconsistent!when!it!comes!to!being!specific!and!measurable.!!
!
Examples!of!adequately!specific!action!points!include!the!following:!
!
Finland!commits!to!having!the!Ministry!of!Foreign!Affairs!create!a!report!on!how!free!
trade!agreements!made!by!the!EU,!the!US,!and!other!countries!take!into!account!trade!
and!human!rights!(particularly!labor!rights)!by!midR2015.274!This!is!adequately!specific!
72!
FINLAND!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
as!it!names!what!ministry!will!be!in!charge,!when!it!will!be!completed,!and!what!the!
specific!topic!of!the!report!will!include.!This!level!of!specificity!makes!it!measureable!as!
well!because!stakeholders,!including!the!State!itself,!will!be!able!to!tell!whether!this!
report!has!been!completed!by!the!date!set!out.!However,!this!could!have!been!made!
even!more!specific!by!explaining!how!this!report!will!be!used!by!Finland!and!whether!it!
will!be!published.!
!
Finland!also!commits!to!making!sure!that!statistics!on!the!consideration!of!social!
aspects!in!government!procurement!decisions!are!improved.!Specifically,!by!adding!a!
field!about!whether!social!aspects!were!considered!in!the!procurement!decision!to!
HILMA,!the!public!procurement!notification!service.!This!task!is!assigned!to!the!
Ministries!of!Finance!and!of!Employment!and!the!Economy,!and!is!to!be!completed!by!
the!end!of!2015.275!The!goal!of!this!action!is!to!encourage!consideration!of!these!issues!
in!procurement.!It!is!adequately!specific!because!instead!of!just!saying!that!the!
government!will!improve!information!about!the!prevalence!of!government!
consideration!of!social!issues,!it!points!to!a!particular!change!that!will!be!made.!Once!
again,!whether!this!change!has!been!made!or!not!is!easily!measurable.!!
!
Moreover,!Finland!commits!to!having!human!rights!be!the!annual!theme!of!the!CSR!
reporting!competition!by!the!end!of!2015,!which!is!put!on!by!the!Ministry!of!
Employment!and!the!Economy!and!the!Ministry!of!the!Environment.276!The!intent!of!
the!competition!is!to!encourage!companies!to!report!on!CSR!issues,!and!by!having!the!
theme!be!human!rights!it!would!further!encourage!reporting!on!that!particular!issue!
within!CSR.!Whether!or!not!the!government!completes!this!action!point!will!be!clearly!
measurable.!!!
!
Other!action!points!are!not!adequately!specific.!Examples!of!these!action!points!include!
73!
FINLAND!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
the!following:!
!
Finland!commits!to!maintaining!a!regular!dialogue!on!the!UN!principles,!the!OECD!
guidelines,!and!others!with!public!financial!institutions.277!Although!this!dialogue!would!
be!positive,!and!although!the!action!point!identifies!the!general!participants278!in!this!
dialogue,!it!could!have!been!more!specific.!For!example,!it!could!have!explained!
whether!a!roundtable!would!be!set!up,!how!often!these!groups!would!meet!to!discuss!
these!principles,!and!whether!there!would!be!any!tangible!outcome!(e.g.!a!report,!
proposals!for!reform!of!public!financial!institutions)!from!this!ongoing!dialogue.!!
!
Another!of!the!action!points!says!that!Finland!shall!participate!in!the!UN!Business!and!
Human!Rights!Forums!and!support!the!work!of!the!working!group!related!to!the!UN!
principles.279!It!is!unclear!what!type!of!support!Finland!will!provide.!This!is!not!a!very!
specific!or!measurable!action!point.!It!could!have!been!improved!by!committing!to!
providing!funding!or!technical!assistance!to!the!UN!Working!Group.!!
!
Other!action!points!are!simply!statements!of!support!instead!of!statements!of!how!
Finland!will!act.!For!example,!one!action!point!states!that!Finland!supports!the!
cooperation!and!discussion!with!the!WTO!and!other!international!organisations!such!as!
ILO!or!WIPO!(World!Intellectual!Property!Organisation)!carried!out!within!the!
framework!of!the!WTO!Coherence!Mandate.280!This!action!point!(and!others)!does!not!
say!in!what!concrete!ways!Finland!supports!this!initiative!(e.g.,!Is!this!just!a!statement!
that!Finland!thinks!it!is!a!good!initiative?!Or!has!Finland!provided!concrete!support!in!
the!form!of!funding!or!services?),!and!it!does!not!commit!to!any!future!action.!
!
Additionally,!one!of!the!action!points!regarding!the!Universal!Periodic!Review!merely!
states!that!questions!may!be!asked!and!recommendations!on!the!implementation!of!
74!
FINLAND!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
the!guiding!principles!may!be!given!to!the!states!examined.!This!appears!merely!to!be!
a!statement!about!what!the!UN!Human!Rights!Council!can!do!to!further!the!UNGPs!
implementation!rather!than!a!commitment!on!Finlands!part!to!act!in!some!way,!for!
example,!by!offering!information!regarding!Finlands!implementation!of!the!UNGPs!in!
Finlands!next!State!report!to!the!UN!Human!Rights!Council.!
!
On!the!positive!note,!however,!the!government!approved!the!NAP!based!on!the!
Working!Group's!proposal!and!a!separate!political!statement!in!an!informal!meeting!of!
the!ministers.!In!its!statement,!the!government!underlined!its!priorities!for!the!
implementation,!concertized!some!of!the!commitments,!and!partly!improved!the!
ambition!level!compared!to!the!Working!Group's!original!proposal.!
!
4.7.
4.8.
rights!abuses.!
The!NAP!does!not!appear!to!prioritize!any!human!rights!abuses!over!others.!!
excluded!groups.!!
The!NAP!is!not!focused!on!the!most!vulnerable!and!excluded!groups.!However,!it!does!
discuss!and!include!followRup!actions!that!specifically!relate!to!vulnerable!and!excluded!
groups,!namely!Indigenous!persons!and!children.!Specifically,!a!followRup!action!listed!
on!page!15!says!that!Finland!will!continue!the!dialogue!related!to!the!human!rights!
impacts!of!business!activities!with!the!UN!Bodies!for!indigenous!peoples!and!ensure!
that!the!effects!of!business!activities!on!the!realization!of!the!rights!of!indigenous!
peoples!will!be!brought!forward!in!the!World!Conference!on!Indigenous!Peoples!in!
autumn!2014.281!!
!
In!a!separate!followRup!action!listed!on!page!15,!Finland!commits!to!including!
75!
FINLAND!
PRIORITIES !
COMMENTS!
information!to!the!UN!Committee!on!the!Rights!of!the!Child!regarding!Finlands!
implementation!of!the!Committees!recommendation!about!Business.282!Additionally,!
Finland!commits!to!translating!the!Committees!General!Recommendation!No.!16,!
which!discusses!business!activities!and!childrens!rights,!into!Finnish!and!Swedish,!as!
well!as!distributing!a!summary!of!the!General!Recommendations!content.283!!
5.! TRANSPARENCY !
COMMENTS!
5.1.
The!background!memorandum!is!publically!available.!
FOLLOWRUP !
COMMENTS!
6.1.
The!NAP!does!identify!which!ministry!or!ministries!are!responsible!for!the!individual!
action!points.!Specifically,!at!the!end!of!each!list!of!proposed!followRup!measures,!there!
is!a!section!in!bold!that!states!the!part!of!government!that!is!the!principal!responsible!
party.284!It!is!assumed!that!the!ministry!indicated!at!the!bottom!of!each!list!of!
proposed!followRup!actions!is!in!charge!of!all!of!the!actions!in!that!list!unless!otherwise!
specified.!!
!
These!sections!also!indicate!either!a!timeline!or!designate!the!activities!assigned!to!the!
76!
FINLAND!
FOLLOWRUP !
COMMENTS!
ministry!as!continuous.285!The!NAP!also!indicates!that!the!ministry!or!ministries!
assigned!to!the!particular!action!points!are!responsible!for!monitoring!the!progress!in!
implementation!of!those!actions.286!
6.2.
implementation.!!
The!NAP!states!that!it!contains!actions!that!are!meant!to!be!achieved!in!the!next!few!
years!(specifically,!2014R2016),!but!that!it!also!provides!a!foundation!to!which!new!
actions!may!be!added.287!Each!year!the!NAPs!implementation!will!be!monitored!by!
the!Committee!for!Corporate!Social!Responsibility.288!Additionally,!the!individual!
ministries!will!monitor!the!progress!of!proposals!in!their!respective!areas!of!
responsibility.289!There!is!no!discussion!of!whether!the!Ministries!or!the!Committee!for!
Corporate!Social!Responsibility!will!have!to!report!to!anyone!on!the!implementation!of!
the!NAP!based!on!their!monitoring!activities.!!
77!
ENDNOTES!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1
!John!Ruggie,!Special!Representative!of!the!Sec'y>Gen.!on!the!Issue!of!Human!Rights!&!Transnational!Corps.!&!Other!
Bus.!Enters.,!Guiding'Principles'on'Business'and'Human'Rights:'Implementing'the'United'Nations'Protect,'
Respect'and'Remedy'Framework,!U.N.!Doc.!A/HRC/17/31!(2011),!available'at!http://www.business>
humanrights.org/media/documents/ruggie/ruggie>guiding>principles>21>mar>2011.pdf![hereinafter!UNGPs].!
2
!Human!Rights!Council!Res.!A/HRC/26/L.1.!Rep.!of!the!Human!Rights!Council,!26th!Sess.,!June!10>27,!2014!(June!27,!
2014),!available'at!http://www.norway>geneva.org/EFTA1/Statements/26th>Session>of>the>Human>Rights>
Council/Item>3>Promotion>and>protection>of>human>rights/Business>and>Human>Rights>Resolution>
/#.U63LWGSxPgJ.!
3
!Communication!from!the!Commission!to!the!European!Parliament,!the!Council,!the!European!Economic!and!Social!
Committee!and!the!Committee!of!the!Regions:!A!Renewed!EU!Strategy!2011>14!for!Corporate!Social!
Responsibility,!COM!(2011)!681!final!(October!25,!2011),!available'at!http://eur>
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2011:0681:FIN:EN:PDF.!
4
!European!Parliament,!Committee!on!Foreign!Affairs,!Report!on!the!Review!of!the!EUs!Human!Rights!Strategy,!EUR.!
PARL.!DOC.!A7>0378/2012!(November!19,!2012),!available'at!
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=>//EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A7>2012>
0378+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN.!
5
!Eur.!Consult.!Ass.,!Declaration!of!the!Committee!of!Ministers!on!the!UN!Guiding!Principles!on!Business!and!
Human!Rights!(Apr.!16,!2014),!available'at!https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=2185745&Site=CM.!
6
!FOREIGN!&!COMMONWEALTH!OFFICE,!GOOD!BUSINESS:!IMPLEMENTING!THE!UN!GUIDING!PRINCIPLES!ON!BUSINESS!AND!HUMAN!
RIGHTS!(2013),!available'at!
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236901/BHR_Action_Plan_>
_final_online_version_1_.pdf![hereinafter!UK!NAP].!
7
!DUTCH!MINISTRY!OF!FOREIGN!AFFAIRS,!NATIONAL!ACTION!PLAN!ON!BUSINESS!AND!HUMAN!RIGHTS!(Apr.!2014),!available'at!
http://www.corporatejustice.org/Dutch>National>Action>Plan>on.html![hereinafter!DUTCH!NAP].!
8
!GOVERNMENT!OF!DENMARK,!DANISH!NATIONAL!ACTION!PLANIMPLEMENTATION!OF!THE!UN!GUIDING!PRINCIPLES!ON!BUSINESS!AND!
HUMAN!RIGHTS!(2014),!available'at!
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Business/NationalPlans/Denmark_NationalPlanBHR.pdf![hereinafter!
DANISH!NAP].!
9
!MINISTRY!OF!EMPLOYMENT!AND!THE!ECONOMY,!NATIONAL!ACTION!PLAN!FOR!THE!IMPLEMENTATION!OF!THE!UN!GUIDING!PRINCIPLES!
ON!BUSINESS!AND!HUMAN!RIGHTS!(2014),!available'at!
http://www.tem.fi/files/41214/TEMjul_46_2014_web_EN_21102014.pdf![hereinafter!FINNISH!NAP].!
10
!Such!States!include,!but!are!not!limited!to,!Belgium,!Chile,!Colombia,!France,!Germany,!Ghana,!Ireland,!Italy,!
Mozambique,!Norway,!Scotland,!Spain,!Switzerland,!Tanzania,!and!the!United!States.!
11
!DANISH!INST.!FOR!HUMAN!RIGHTS!&!INTL!CORPORATE!ACCOUNTABILITY!ROUNDTABLE,!NATIONAL!ACTION!PLANS!ON!BUSINESS!AND!
HUMAN!RIGHTS:!A!TOOLKIT!FOR!THE!DEVELOPMENT,!IMPLEMENTATION,!AND!REVIEW!OF!STATE!COMMITMENTS!TO!BUSINESS!AND!
HUMAN!RIGHTS!FRAMEWORKS!149>53!(2014),!available'at!http://accountabilityroundtable.org/analysis/napsreport/.!
12
!For!example,!the!UN!Working!Group!on!Business!and!Human!Rights,!in!its!report!to!the!UN!General!Assembly!in!
2014,!stresse[d]!the!need!to!put!particular!emphasis!on!the!third!pillar!of!the!Guiding!Principles!in!national!action!
plans.!Report!of!the!Working!Group!on!the!Issue!of!Human!Rights!and!Transnational!Corporations!and!Other!
Business!Enterprises,!U.N.!Doc.!A/69/263!(2014),!available!at!http://business>
humanrights.org/sites/default/files/documents/unwg>report>naps>oct>2014.pdf.!
13
!!CORPORATE!RESPONSIBILITY!COALITION!(CORE),!GOOD!BUSINESS?!ANALYSIS!OF!THE!UK!GOVERNMENT!ACTION!PLAN!ON!BUSINESS!&!
HUMAN!RIGHTS!2!(2013),!available'at!
78!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.corporatejustice.org/IMG/pdf/goodbusiness_corecommentonuknap_final_dec2013>1.pdf!
[hereinafter!CORE].!
14
!!UK!NAP,!supra!note!6.!
15
!For!example,!the!Modern!Slavery!Bill!currently!under!discussion!in!the!United!Kingdom!includes!a!measure!to!
require!reporting!by!listed!and!non>listed!companies!on!actions!to!identify!and!address!slavery!and!forced!labor!in!
their!supply!chains.'See!Joint'Select'Committee:'Draft'Modern'Slavery'Bill,!
http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees>a>z/joint>select/draft>modern>slavery>bill/!(last!
visited!Nov.!28.2014).!
16
!!Id.!at!19.!
17
!!An!NBA!is!a!study!conducted!at!the!start!of!an!intervention!to!analyze!current!conditions.!
18
!DUTCH!NAP,!supra'note!7,!at!6.!
19
!DUTCH!NAP,'supra!note!7,!at!6;!based!on!the!experience!of!SOMO!and!the!CSR!Platform.!
20
!Id.'at!20.!
21
!These!sub>criteria!are!laid!out!in!Kristin!Jesnes,!Statens!plikt!til!!beskytte!menneskerettighetene:!En!analyse!av!
nasjonale!handlingsplaner!for!oppflging!av!FNs!veiledende!prinsipper!for!menneskerettigheter!og!nringsliv.!
(The!State!Duty!to!Protect:!An!Analysis!of!National!Action!Plans!on!Business!and!Human!Rights).!Fafo>notat!
2014:15!(2014),!available'at!http://www.fafo.no/pub/rapp/10199/index.html!(currently!only!available!in!
Norwegian).!
22
!DUTCH!NAP,!supra!note!7,!at!10.!
23
!Id.!at!15.!!
24
!The!CSR!Council!represents!local!municipalities,!NGOs,!business,!trade!unions,!and!financial!organizations.!DANISH!
NAP,!supra!note!8,!at!9.!
25
!Id.!at!22.!
26
!Although!the!NAP!points!to!the!expanded!reporting!requirement!and!the!National!Contact!Point!that!is!
established!by!law,!these!do!not!constitute!new!commitments.!
27
!FINNISH!NAP,!supra!note!9,!at!7>8.!
28
!Id.!
29
!FINNISH!NAP,!supra'note!9,!at!7>8.!
30
!Valtioneuvoston!saate!YK:n!yrityksi!ja!ihmisoikeuksia!koskevien!ohjaavien!periaatteiden!kansallisesta!
toimeenpanosta!(Sept.!9,!2014),!available'at!http://valtioneuvosto.fi/tiedostot/julkinen/pdf/2014/TEM>saate>
iltakoulu>170914.pdf!(currently!only!available!in!Finnish).!
31
!Id.!at!15.!
32
!DANISH!INST.!FOR!HUMAN!RIGHTS!&!INTL!CORPORATE!ACCOUNTABILITY!ROUNDTABLE,!supra!note!11,!at!149>53.!
33
!!CORE,!supra!note!13,!at!2.!
34
!!UK!NAP,'supra!note!6,!at!19.!
35
!Id.'!
36
!!Id.!
37
!!Id.!
38
!!Id.!
39
!MARTA!BORDIGNON,!THE!CHALLENGE!OF!IMPLEMENTING!THE!UN!PROTECT,!RESPECT!AND!REMEDY!FRAMEWORK!BY!STATES!AND!THE!
EUROPEAN!UNION!THROUGH!THE!UN!GUIDING!PRINCIPLES:!THE!BRITISH,!ITALIAN!AND!SPANISH!CASES!12!(2013).!
40
!Id.!
41
!Foreign!Affairs!Committee,!Written!Evidence!from!Amnesty!International,!para.!54,!available'at!
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmfaff/116/116we02.htm;!see'also!RACHEL!BALL,!
HUMAN!RIGHTS!LAW!CTR.,!AN!AUSTRALIAN!NATIONAL!ACTION!PLAN!FOR!THE!IMPLEMENTATION!OF!THE!UN!GUIDING!PRINCIPLES!ON!
79!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BUSINESS!AND!HUMAN!RIGHTS:!BACKGROUND!PAPER!12!(2014),!available'at!http://hrlc.org.au/wp>
content/uploads/2014/04/National_Action_Plan_on_Business_and_Human_Rights_backgroundpaper_2014.pdf.!!
42
!RACHEL!CHAMBERS,!EMBODIMENT!OF!OUR!NATIONAL!COMMITMENT!TO!PROTECT!HUMAN!RIGHTS!OR!DAMP!SQUIB?!AN!ASSESSMENT!
OF!CORPORATE!ACCOUNTABILITY!UNDER!THE!UK!GOVERNMENTS!NATIONAL!ACTION!PLAN!ON!BUSINESS!AND!HUMAN!RIGHTS!5>6!
(2014)!(on!file!with!authors,!expected!submission!to!the!International!Journal!of!Human!Rights!in!January!2015);!
ANDREAS!GRAF,!SWISSPEACE,!DEVELOPING!NATIONAL!ACTION!PLANS!ON!BUSINESS!AND!HUMAN!RIGHTS!(2013),!available'at!
http://www.swisspeace.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/Media/Publications/Essentials/Essential_4_2013.pdf.!
43
!!Id.!
44
!Damiano!De!Felice!&!Andreas!Graf,!The'Potential'of'National'Action'Plans'to'Implement'the'United'Nations'
Guiding'Principles'on'Business'and'Human'Rights:'An'Early'Assessment,'Journal'of'Human'Rights'Practice,!Volume!
7,!Issue!1!(forthcoming).!
45
!BORDIGNON,!supra!note!39,!at!12.!
46
!Id.!
47
!Id.!
48
!Id.!
49
!Id.!
!
50
!CORE,!supra!note!13,!at!4.!
51
!Jesnes,!supra!note!21.!
52
!E.g.,!Gerry!Boyle,!UK'Guidance'for'Business'on'Human'Rights'Needs'Some'Legal'Teeth,!GUARDIAN!(Sept.!4,!2013),!
available'at!http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable>business/blog/uk>guidance>business>human>rights>legal.!
53
!CORE,!supra'note!13,!at!9>10.!
54
!Id.!at!9.!
55
!UK!NAP,!supra!note!6,!at!10.!
56
!Id.!at!11>12.!
57
!Id.!at!11.!
58
!De!Felice!&!Graf,!supra!note!44.!
59
!UK!NAP,!supra'note!6,!at!12.!
60
61
62
!Id.!
63
!Id.!
64
65
66
th
!Janneke!Faber,!Multilateral!Organisations!and!Human!Rights!Department,!Netherlands,!Presentation!at!the!7 !
Session!of!the!Working!Group!on!the!Issue!of!Human!Rights!and!Transnational!Corporations!and!Other!Business!
Enterprises!(Feb.!17>21,!2014),!transcript!available'at!
http://www.ohchr.org/documents/issues/business/nationalplans/jannekefaber_statement.pdf.!!
67
!DUTCH!NAP,!supra!note!7.!
68
!Id.!at!6.!
69
!Faber,!supra!note!66.!
70
71
!Faber,!supra!note!66.!
72
!Id.!
73
!Based!on!the!experience!of!SOMO!and!the!CSR!Platform.!
74
!Id.!
80!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
75
!Id.!
!Id.!
77
!Id.!
78
!Id.!
79
!Id.!
80
!Id.!
81
!Id.!
82
!Id.!
83
84
!Faber,!supra!note!66,!at!2.!
85
86
!Id.!
87
!Id.!
88
!Id.!
89
!Id.!
90
!Id.!
91
!See!DUTCH!NAP,!supra!note!7,!at!6!(inter>ministerial!group!compared!current!policy!with!the!UNGPs).!
92
!Id.!at!6.!
93
94
!Id.!
95
!MVO!Platform,!Dutch'National'Action'Plan'on'Business'and'Human'Rights'(Feb.!17,!2014),!
http://mvoplatform.nl/news>en/dutch>national>action>plan>on>business>and>human>rights.!
96
!It!does!commit!to!holding!a!conference!where!the!topics!of!judicial!and!non>judicial!grievance!mechanisms!will!be!
discussed.!DUTCH!NAP,!supra!note!7,!at!42.!
97
!Jesnes,!supra!note!21.!!
98
99
!Id.!at!41.!
100
!Id.!at!23.!
101
!Id.!at!25.!
102
Id.!
103
!Id.!at!42.!
104
!Id.!at!28.!
105
!Id.'at!29.!
106
!Id.!!
107
!Id.!!
108
!Id.!(the!transparency!benchmark!would!be!extended!to!the!600!largest!Dutch!companies!under!the!European!
Commissions!proposal).!
109
!MVO!Platform,!supra!note!95.!
110
111
!Id.!at!41.!
112
!See'id.!at!41>42.!
113
!Id.'at!5.!
114
!Id.!at!39.!
115
!NETH.!INST.!FOR!HUMAN!RIGHTS,!ADVICE:!RESPONSE!TO!THE!NATIONAL!ACTION!PLAN!ON!BUSINESS!AND!HUMAN!RIGHTS!KNOWING!
AND!SHOWING!6!(2014).!!
76
81!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
116
!Id.!at!19.!
118
!Id.!at!18.!
119
!Id.!at!41>42.!
120
!Id.!at!24.!
121
122
!DUTCH!NAP,!supra!note!7,!at!42,!34>35.!
123
!Id.'at!42.!
124
!Id.!at!41.!
125
!Id.!at!17.!
126
!See!Ministry!of!Foreign!Affairs,!Netherlands'NCP'Strengthened'With'Revised'Government'Decree,!
http://www.oesorichtlijnen.nl/en/news/netherlands>ncp>strengthened>revised>government>decree!(last!visited!
Nov.!17,!2014).!
127
!See'id.!
128
129
!See'DUTCH!NAP,!supra'note!7,!at!41>42.!
130
!See,'e.g.,!MVO!Platform,!supra!note!95.!
131
!NETH.!INST.!FOR!HUMAN!RIGHTS,!supra!note!115,!at!13.!
132
!Based!on!civil!society!and!NHRI!research!and!participation!in!the!NAP!development!process.!
133
!Id.'!
134
!Id.!
135
!Id.'
136
!Id.!
137
!The!Working!Group!was!composed!of!a!representative!from!the!Confederation!of!Danish!Industry,!the!Danish!
Confederation!of!Trade!Unions,!the!Danish!92!Group,!the!Danish!Ship>owners!Association,!and!the!chair!of!the!
CSR!Council.!
138
139
!Id.!
140
!Id.!
141
!DANISH!NAP,!supra!note!8.!
142
143
!Id.!
144
!Id.!
145
!Id.!
146
!Id.!
147
!Id.!
148
!Id.!
149
!Id.!
150
!Id.!
151
!DANISH!NAP,!supra!note!8,!at!9.!Although!the!planned!actions!are!listed!under!the!section!discussing!Pillar!I,!the!
inter>ministerial!working!group!that!is!tasked!with!looking!at!legislation!with!extraterritorial!effect!focuses!on!
access!to!judicial!remedy!(Pillar!III)!for!victims!of!serious!human!rights!violations!involving!Danish!MNEs.!
152
!Id.!at!24,!34.!
153
!Id.!at!9,!24,!34.!
154
!Id.!at!24.!
117
82!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
155
!Jesnes,!supra'note!21.!
!See!DANISH!NAP,'supra!note!8,!at!16.!
157
!Id.'at!18.!
158
!Id.!
159
!Presentation!of!FSR!!Danish!Auditors,!http://www.fsr.dk/Om%20os/English.!
160
!See'DANISH!NAP,!supra!note!8,!at!12.!
161
!Danish!Business!Partnerships,!http://amg.um.dk/en/technical>guidelines/danida>business>partnerships/.!
162
!See!DANISH!NAP,!supra!note!8,!at!16.!
163
'Id.!at!18.!
164
165
'See!DANISH!NAP,!supra!note!8,!at!16.!
166
!See'id.!at!18!
167
!Id.'at!12.!
168
!Id.!at!16.!
169
!Id.!
170
!Id.!at!9.!
171
!Id.!at!20>21;!see'also!Executive!Order!on!a!Mediation!and!Complaints>Handling!Institution!for!Responsible!
Business!Conduct,!available'at!http://businessconduct.dk/file/298160/executive>order>on>mediation.pdf.!
172
!Danish!Mediation!and!Complaints>Handling!Institution!for!Responsible!Business!Conduct,!Statement!on!
Retention!of!Employees!Identification!Papers!(2014),!available'at!
http://businessconduct.dk/file/507301/aug_14_2014_general_statement.pdf.!
173
!DANISH!NAP,!supra!note!8,!at!18.!
174
!THE!DANISH!BUSINESS!AUTHORITY,!CORPORATE!SOCIAL!RESPONSIBILITY!AND!REPORTING!IN!DENMARKIMPACT!OF!THE!THIRD!YEAR!
SUBJECT!TO!THE!LEGAL!REQUIREMENTS!FOR!REPORTING!ON!CSR!IN!THE!DANISH!FINANCIAL!STATEMENTS!ACT!21!(2013),!available'at!
http://samfundsansvar.dk/file/358879/csr_rapport_2013_eng.pdf.!
175
!DANISH!NAP,'supra!note!8,!at!16.!
176
!Id.!
177
!Id.'at!11.!
178
!Id.'at!14.!
179
!Id.'at!18.!
180
!Id.!at!21.!
181
!Id.!at!16.!
182
!Id.!at!13.!
183
!Id.!at!11.!
184
!Id.!at!16.!
185
!Id.!at!27.!
186
!Id.!at!6.!
187
!Id.'at!9.!
188
!Id.!
189
!Id.!
190
!Id.!at!27.!
191
!Id.!at!11.!
192
!Id.!at!18.!
193
!Id.!at!16.!
194
!Id.!
156
83!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
195
!Id.!at!28.!
!UNGPs,!supra!note!1.!
197
!See!Rep.!of!the!U.N.!Working!Group!on!the!Issue!of!Human!Rights!and!Transnational!Corps.!and!Other!Bus.!
Enters.,!!41,!92(d),!UN!Doc!A/69/263!(Aug.!5,!2014).!
198
199
!DANISH!NAP,!supra'note!8,!16.!
200
!Id.!
201
!Id.!
202
!Id.!
203
!Id.!at!22.!
204
!Id.!at!22.!
205
!Id.!at!7>8.!
206
!Id.at!5.!
207
!Id.!at!32.!
208
!Id.!at!8.!
209
!Id.!at!7>8.!
210
!Id.!
211
!Id.!
212
!Id.!
213
!Based!on!the!experience!of!Finnwatch.!
214
!Id.!
215
!Id.!
216
!Id.!
217
!Id.!!
218
219
220
!Id.!
221
!FINNISH!NAP,!supra'note!9,!at!7>8;!based!on!the!experience!of!Finnwatch.!
222
223
!Id.!
224
!Id.!
225
!Id.!
226
!Id.!
227
!Id.!
228
!Id.!
229
230
!Jesnes,!supra!note!21.!
231
!FINNISH!NAP,!supra!note!9,!at!26.!
232
!Id.!
233
!Id.!at!17.!
234
!Id.!
235
!Valtioneuvoston!saate!YK:n!yrityksi!ja!ihmisoikeuksia!koskevien!ohjaavien!periaatteiden!kansallisesta!
toimeenpanosta!(Sept.!9,!2014),!available'at!http://valtioneuvosto.fi/tiedostot/julkinen/pdf/2014/TEM>saate>
iltakoulu>170914.pdf!(currently!only!available!in!Finnish).!
236
!Id.!
196
84!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
237
!Id.!
!Id.!
239
!Although!the!language!used!in!the!NAP!calls!this!a!proposal,!it!was!passed!before!this!NAP!was!published!and!the!
language!in!the!NAP!was!not!updated.!
240
!FINNISH!NAP,!supra'note!9,!at!16.!
241
!Id.!
242
!Id.!
243
!Id.!at!26.!
244
!Id.!
245
!Id.!at!25.!
246
!Id.!at!25>26.!
247
!Id.!at!9.!
248
!Id.!at!13>14.!
249
!Id.!at!15>16.!
250
!Id.!at!20>21.!
251
!Id.!at!20.!
252
!Id.!!
253
!Id.!at!21.!
254
!Id.!!
255
!Id.!at!25>26.!
256
!Id.!at!27.!
257
258
259
!Id.!at!21.!
260
!Id.!at!15>16.!However,!a!couple!of!these!follow!up!measures!appear!to!be!statements!of!current!actions!Finland!
is!involved!in!without!a!clear!statement!that!Finland!will!continue!to!do!this.!E.g.,!Finland!participates!in!the!
development!of!UNs!cooperation!with!business!and!supports!features!such!as!the!Global!Compact!CSR!initiative.!
261
262
!Id.!at!22.!
263
!Id.!at!15.!
264
!Id.!!
265
!Id.!at!17.!
266
!Id.!at!17>19.!
267
!Id.!at!19,!18.!
268
!Id.!at!23,!18.!
269
!Id.!at!23.!
270
!Id.!at!20>21.!
271
!Id.!at!15.!
272
!Id.!at!23.!
273
!Id.!at!15.!
274
!Id.!at!19.!
275
!Id.!at!21.!
276
!Id.!at!26.!!
277
!Id.!at!22.!
238
85!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
278
!It!is!assumed!that!on!the!government!side!of!the!dialogue!the!Ministry!of!Foreign!Affairs!and!the!Ministry!of!
Employment!and!Economy!would!participate!in!this!dialogue!as!they!are!listed!as!the!principal!responsible!parties.!!
279
280
!Id.!
281
!Id.!
282
!Id.!
283
!Id.!
284
!See,'e.g.,!FINNISH!NAP,!supra'note!9,!at!16>17.!
285
!See,'e.g.,!id.!at!12,!16.!
286
!Id.!at!15.!
287
!Id.!at!8.!
288
!Id.!at!32.!
289
!Id.!at!32.!
86!

Análisis Planes Nacionales de Empresa y DDHH

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Análisis Planes Nacionales de Empresa y DDHH

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ASSESSMENTS'OF'EXISTING'

Com m itm ent!to!the!NAP!process.!

Com m itm ent!to!the!NAP!process.!

Com m itm ent!to!the!NAP!process.!

Com m itm ent!to!the!NAP!process.!

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